


What You Don't Know Can't Hurt You

by TheMightyFlynn



Series: Creature Features [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mpreg, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Veela, Veela Harry, Veela Snape, Wings, Wood Elves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-23
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-01-13 11:48:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 55
Words: 234,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1225174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyFlynn/pseuds/TheMightyFlynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter knows that his bond with Severus Snape hasn't been sealed properly on his side, but can't work up the nerve to admit it. Lincoln Northam is currently trying desperately not to fall head over heels in love with Draco Malfoy, because he can't tell him of his Elven nature. Draco is making this mission difficult because he is used to getting everything he wants and what he wants right now is Lincoln. But of course, what Draco and Severus don't know can't hurt them, right?</p><p>This is the sequel to my fic Because I Love You, You Idiot and shows the Harry/Severus relationship from other perspectives. It'll fill out some of the gaps I left in the last one and we may discover that Severus was nowhere near as subtle about his feelings for Harry as he thought he was. And while I'm at it, I'll get Draco laid as well. :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here we are; the promised sequel. I really recommend reading the first part of this before this one, if anyone hasn't already because this one has tonnes of spoilers! I got the idea for this based off a conversation I had with twilightreaderaddict on one of the later chapters of BILYYI which I took as a bit of a joke at the time. Then Lincoln strutted into my head with a storyline that fit in perfectly with what I had already written and demanded that I write a sequel. This one will get angsty, because I have to follow what I've already written, but everyone who has read the first will know that they both get their Happily Ever After's; it just takes a while. I will hopefully add a new chapter every Sunday. Hope you all enjoy it and don't forget that comments keep the plotbunnies fluffy and happy! (For the time being, at least.)

Puke. Vomit. Heave. Gag. Throw up. Verbal pyrotechnics. Nausea. No matter which way you looked at it, Draco Malfoy was going to be sick. Preferably all over his father’s shiny new dress shoes. Reaching out to grab hold of his mother’s arm in order to steady her as she entered the Ministry Atrium through the Floo, Draco glanced over to the desk a little way down the Entrance Hall where a Ministry witch was eyeing them warily. It was the day of his 18th birthday and he was spending it leaving the rest of his life in the hands of Harry bloody Potter. Sure, he and Potter had mostly settled their differences after the end of the War, but that did not mean he trusted the speccy git to save him from a life in Azkaban, no matter what his mother said.

Lucius followed closely behind Narcissa, stepping into the Atrium as if he owned the place. Draco stood to the side as his father moved to take Narcissa’s arm, guiding her to the small desk where the Ministry witch would take their wands and cuff their hands. Following behind his parents with his head bowed to avoid having to make eye contact with anyone else, Draco took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to calm his roiling stomach. 

“Your wand, Mr. Malfoy.”

Draco glanced up to see a solid-looking man standing in front of him, hand out to take his wand. With a quick look over to his parents, Draco took his wand out of the arm holster he kept it in and handed it over, mild resentment making itself known over the nerves going mad in his stomach. Besides the few months after Easter this year when Potter had taken his wand from him, Draco had not been without it since the day he got it from Ollivander the year he turned 11. It felt weird to be without it, almost as though he were naked in public. The Ministry Guard grabbed hold of Draco’s wrists as he handed over his wand, placing a pair of magical cuffs around them that clicked into place as soon as he had let go of his wand.

“Ya can’t break outta these ‘less you’ve got a wand,” his Guard informed him. “So don’t even try.”

 _Imbecile_ , Draco thought, only just resisting rolling his eyes. “I wasn’t thinking of trying,” he responded aloud.

He knew he would have to make a good impression today, so resorting to his usual responses to the morons he was presented with would probably not be a good idea. The Guard grasped hold of the middle of the cuffs and began to stride off without looking to see if Draco was having trouble keeping up with him. Draco stretched his legs to keep pace with the man, wishing – not for the first time – that he had inherited at least some of his father’s height. Being stuck at just below average height was incredibly annoying, especially when he was confronted with ignorant fools like this one. Deciding to focus more on the stupidity of the man in front of him rather than the churning of his stomach, he glanced over his shoulder to see two other Guards pulling his parents in their wake. The one holding onto Draco’s cuffs guided him to an elevator slightly off to the right. His mother appeared beside him a few seconds later, a wary look in her eyes as she watched the two men standing in front of them. He knew from his mother’s discussions with Kingsley Shacklebolt that his father was to have the first Trial of the day, just after 12pm. Shacklebolt appeared to be under the impression that none of the four Trials today would last very long, but Draco suspected he had just been trying to relieve some of the tension both his mother and Potter had been feeling over the possible results of the Trials. Although what Potter had to be worried about was beyond Draco. It was not as though he cared about what happened to any of the members of Draco’s family, and he certainly had never cared about Severus Snape, the other man to have his Trial that day.

The elevator clattered and clanged as it brought the six of them down to level 10 of the Ministry. Draco was absolutely certain that his breakfast was going to make a reappearance fairly soon; he just hoped that Potter would not be around to witness his humiliation. The Guard guiding his father veered off to the side just before they reached the Courtroom, leaving Draco and his mother alone with their Guards. The man leading him onwards had not slowed his pace, striding along quick enough so that Draco almost had to jog to keep up with him.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” Potter’s voice rang out through the dungeon-like corridors, laden with what sounded very much like fear.

The Guard holding Draco’s cuffs stopped so suddenly Draco ran into him. “Any idea what’s going on up there?”

“How the hell should I know? Just get moving: if there’s a problem, we’ll know soon enough.” The second Guard’s voice was nowhere near as intimidating as the one holding Draco’s cuffs. That thought was inane enough to break Draco out of his worry momentarily, just long enough for him to wonder if he was slowly losing his mind.

Draco had just enough warning that the man was going to start moving again so that he did not fall on his face the second his cuffs were tugged. Listening carefully to what he could hear from his mother, Draco moved fast in order to keep up with his Guard. He could hear small puffs coming from behind him, indicating that they were treating his mother the exact same way as they were treating him. There was, of course, nothing he could do to prevent it that would not end with him in Azkaban without a Trial, but that did not stop him from imagining hexing the bastard who dared hurt his mother.

Draco had always been closer to his mother than to his father, but that had only made it all the more important that he tried all his life to live up the almost impossible expectations Lucius had set for him. Of course, he now realised that those expectations had been what had gotten him into such trouble in the first place. All his life had led up to this one single moment: a Trial for Death Eater activity with the only testimony to be given by the one person he had spent the past seven years antagonising. He saw absolutely no reason for Potter to want to help them, no matter what his mother had said about debts owed. Maybe he had been too hasty in telling Potter to just cancel out one of his debts by not calling in the one Potter owed him? Maybe he should have used it to make absolutely certain that he and his mother would be safe from Azkaban? The thought that he did not seem to care what happened to his father occurred to him a second later, but was quickly driven out of his mind as they rounded a corner to be confronted by not only Potter pacing across the corridor, but Snape, as well as Potter’s Patronus stalking along the corridor, keeping the Dementors in one place.

“What’s the holdup?” The Guard holding his cuffs moved him up to stand beside Snape, who glanced over at him briefly before turning back to Potter.

“Draco.”

Stunned by Potter’s use of his first name, Draco responded in the way his mother had taught him his entire life: be polite, but not friendly. “Harry. What’s going on?”

Potter’s Patronus was distracting, moving along the corridor like that. Draco knew that it was keeping the Dementors from having an effect on every single person now standing in the corridor, but what he wanted to know was _why_ it was doing that. He completely understood that Potter did not wish to be affected by the Dementors, but all he really had to do in order for that to happen was to enter the Courtroom. He had no reason to still be standing out here in the corridor, did he? A quick glance up to Snape gave nothing away, as the man was not looking at him.

“They’ve taken your wands as well, right?” Potter stopped directly in front of Draco, green eyes boring into his before flickering over to glance at Narcissa.

“Y-yes, but they told us about that. Mother said Shacklebolt...”

“Yeah, yeah.” Potter’s hand waved through the air, only just missing whacking Draco across the nose. “I knew about the wand thing. What they didn’t tell me about were the Dementors. _No one_ told me about them.”

 _Is Potter glaring at_ Snape? _Why would Snape have told him about the Dementors?_ Draco looked between the two of them, taking in the irritation on Potter’s face and the look of... What was that he had seen on Snape’s face? Respect? Pride? He absolutely refused to believe that he had seen a look of anything even vaguely resembling love on the face of his ex-Potions Professor, but that was certainly the first thought that came to mind.

“Now, Harry, please. This is getting us nowhere. I am going to have to insist that you follow me into the Courtroom. The Dementors have to stay until I can remove them permanently; there is no way around it at the moment.” Shacklebolt sounded exasperated, which brought Draco back onto the level he could deal with: people being frustrated by Potter’s obstinacy was a natural thing to him.

“Fine. But my stag is staying right here. These people are helpless, Kingsley; you’ve taken their wands. I won’t allow those _things_ anywhere near any of them. My Patronus will accompany each of them to the Courtroom, and will stay outside the cells to prevent the Dementors from getting to any of them. _That_ is my condition, and you aren’t going to change my mind.” Potter’s voice had a stubborn edge to it, sparking Draco’s curiosity further.

He did not have long to wonder as he caught a smile – _a smile!_ – tracing across Snape’s lips before he ducked his head, allowing his hair to cover his face. _What the_ fuck _is going on here?_

“Alright, Harry. If you insist, then I suppose I have no other choice: your Patronus may stay, but you have to agree to come with me now.”

Draco had to attempt to hide a small smile of his own at the tone to Shacklebolt’s voice. Apparently Potter was able to exasperate the new Minister for Magic just as easily as he could annoy the hell out of everyone else. The smile disappeared as soon as the Guard tugged on his cuffs, almost sending Draco flying. True panic shot through him as he was forced into a small cell with a smokeless torch flickering above the door. Standing in the middle of the tiny cell, Draco closed his eyes and took slow, deep breaths in an attempt to regain some form of control over himself.

*~*

“I’m so sorry, Sev, I tried, I really did,” Harry mumbled into his mate’s collarbone.

He had been receiving jolts of panic and fear down the one-sided bond all morning and he knew that physical contact would go a long way to helping his Sev calm down a bit. Harry had been desperately hoping for the past month that Sev would not realise that their bond was one-sided and that Harry was only reacting to the strongest of his emotions. The problem, as Harry saw it, was that he had been so deeply in love with Severus Snape for so very long that when he finally got the chance to be with him, he had jumped in blindly, not caring that the bond was one-sided because he was never letting him go now that he had him. Sev’s scent washed over him, warm and spicy, causing his head to swim and his breath to shudder as he breathed in deep. Focussing solely on reassuring his mate, as he hated feeling such a strong sense of fear from someone he knew to have been so incredibly brave during the War, Harry closed his eyes, holding on tightly. They stood there like that for a few seconds before Harry felt Sev starting to relax. He reluctantly loosened his grip as he felt Sev stepping back from him, an intense look in his eyes. Glancing down in surprise as he met those impossibly black eyes, Harry realised he was trembling.

“Harry, listen to me. I trust you with my life. Narcissa trusts you with her entire family’s lives. If there’s anyone in the entire wizarding world who can pull this off, it is you.”

Sev’s voice sent shocks of desire through Harry’s body, driving out all the nerves as Harry wrapped his arms around his neck. The kiss had a lot more force behind it than Harry had intended, but Sev responded in much the same way: shoving his tongue in past Harry’s lips and pulling him as close as he could get. Harry’s head began to swim again as those long-fingered hands grabbed his arse and squeezed.

“As much as I hate to break the mood, gentlemen, I must insist we get on with proceedings.” Kingsley’s soft voice startled Harry out of the daze Sev had placed him under.

Reluctantly stepping back from his mate, Harry found himself unable to resist tucking the long strands of hair behind his mate’s ear. “Sev, I–”

_I love you. I want to Apparate away from here and never see these people again. I swear if they try to take you away from me, I’ll curse the lot of them._

“Harry, please, we have to get inside the Courtroom,” Kingsley murmured, sympathy deep in his voice.

“I’ll see you after, Harry,” Sev muttered as Kingsley guided him into the cell.

That one sentence was more telling to Harry than anyone in the entire world could guess. He knew that the only time Sev ever used contractions was when his emotions were running high, making him relax his more formal style of speaking. Worry flashed through him as he watched the door closing, shutting him off from his Sev, for the time being at least.

*~*

Apparently the fight part of the fight or flight survival instinct ingrained into every single human being on Earth had skipped Draco: his flight reflex had kicked in as soon as the cell door had closed. It was then he had remembered that his lack of wand would not allow him to Apparate. Pacing back and forth along the length of the cell – which could not have been much longer than seven feet – Draco tried to force himself not to completely lose it. He tried taking slow, deep breaths, he tried the exercises his psychotic Aunt Bellatrix had taught him to empty his mind for Occlumency, he even tried simply lying down on the bed and reasoning with himself. None of it worked and the pressure of the panic rising in him had him gasping for breath, hunched over on the edge of the bed when his cell door slid open silently.

“Draco Malfoy.” The voice was low and commanding, if slightly bored.

Stepping out of his cell, Draco shuffled towards the waiting Guard, Potter’s stag following along behind him. A strange sense of gratefulness towards Potter flowed through him at that, as he was fairly certain that the stag was the only thing preventing the Dementors from accompanying him to the doors of the Courtroom. It left him the second he walked through the doors, moving back to pace in front of the two remaining cells.

A familiar sense of cold dread settled deep in his stomach when he turned around to face the Wizengamot. The Guard that had taken him to the Courtroom grabbed his elbow and forced him forward. It seemed as though the entire Wizengamot had decided to make an appearance, making the room seem too small. The black walls made the firelight dance in strange patterns, casting shadows over the faces of the people seated higher up on the benches. The Guard dragged Draco towards a large wooden chair that was sitting in front of the raised rows of benches. Chains snaked around his wrists the second he sat down, causing his nerves to jump. Wondering whether they had let his father off, Draco stared up at Shacklebolt in panic, his breath coming in short gasps. Potter was sitting in a rigid-backed chair just in front of the Wizengamot, a Pensieve sitting on a stand beside him. He did not meet Draco’s eyes as Shacklebolt started speaking.

“I call this Trial of the 5th of June, 1998 to order, Acting Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt presiding. Draco Lucius Malfoy, you stand accused of conspiring to murder Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore under the orders of Lord Voldemort. You are also accused of conducting various Death Eater activities from between the years 1996 and 1998. I shall now open this Trial up to the Wizengamot for comments.”

Dragging his eyes away from Shacklebolt in his ugly, plum coloured robes, Draco looked wildly between the members of the Wizengamot. He knew that his father had insulted and threatened most if not all of these people many times over the years and that some of them would probably hold that against him. What he saw in the faces of these people was disgust, revulsion and a little fear, which he could not blame them for, but he knew he had to try to explain _why_ he had done what he did. Fighting back another wave of nausea, Draco locked eyes with Shacklebolt.

“Minister, if I could just –”

“Shut that prisoner up!”

Draco had no idea who had shouted, but the command was followed swiftly. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut as what appeared to be a small ball of flames shot out of his Guard’s wand, just in front of his eyes. His hands clenched on the armrests of the chair as he attempted to make himself as small as possible, shrinking away from the Guard as images of the Room of Requirement flashed before his eyes. It was the only thing he had not been able to let go of after the end of the War. He had been surprised that a fear of fire was the only thing that he had taken away from the Battle of Hogwarts – and the horrors he had witnessed in the Manor – but figured he should be thankful for it.

“Hey!”

Opening his eyes at the outraged sound of Potter’s voice, Draco met his eyes briefly before glancing back up at Shacklebolt. The Guard standing just behind him had backed off slightly the second Potter had shouted at him, his wand pointing at the floor. The only reaction Shacklebolt had made to Potter’s outburst so far was to pinch the bridge of his nose, but Draco got the feeling that he was holding back something else.

“Harry, we discussed this. There is an order to these Trials that must be followed –”

“Right, and that order includes a Guard shooting flames at the accused! Sorry, Kingsley, but aren’t you the one who has said that there needs to be changes to these things? I sat right there just before the start of my fifth year at Hogwarts, listening while none of these supposedly ‘morally upstanding citizens’ stopped Fudge and Umbridge from trying to throw me in Azkaban for defending myself from Dementors!” Potter had stood as he yelled, his hands waving wildly through the air as he pointed along the rows of the Wizengamot. Taking a deep breath, he seemed to gain some sort of control over himself before continuing in a quieter tone. “Draco _isn’t_ a prisoner; neither was Lucius. From what I’ve been told, all three Malfoys have been under house arrest during the past month and came here willingly when they were needed.”

“Now, Mr. Potter, you have to be reasonable here. This man is here on charges of Death Eater activity, as was his father and as is his mother. And that’s not to mention Severus Snape.” The elderly man who stood appeared to be resisting the urge to flinch under the strength of Potter’s glare.

Glancing up at Shacklebolt, Draco felt a mild sense of amusement as the man sank down in his chair, shaking his head. Perhaps it was not _he_ who was losing his mind? Perhaps one too many killing curses sent his way had caused Potter to finally lose his tenuous grip on reality? That was the only explanation he could come up with for Potter’s strange behaviour. Potter’s annoyed voice dragged Draco out of his thoughts and back to the present.

“You want proof?” _Wait, what have I missed?_ “Take a look at this!”

Draco barely held back a gasp as he watched Potter drag a memory out of his head with the tip of his wand and place it in the Pensieve. He touched his wand to the shimmering silver on the surface and an image floated up out of the deep bowl. Draco found himself watching their encounter in Malfoy Manor back during Easter. Potter’s face was swollen, but recognisable to anyone who knew him, especially considering you could still see one of his bright green eyes beneath the swelling.

“You see that?” Potter pointed his wand at the surface of the Pensieve and muttered something, causing the image to increase in size. “That’s me this past Easter. You can tell it’s me, right? I mean, I hadn’t shaved in a while and my hair desperately needed cutting, but beneath the swelling, you can see that that person there is me, right?”

Glancing around the room, Potter seemed to meet each of the elderly witches and wizards eyes. Most of them nodded in agreement, some looking thoughtful before they agreed. The ones who did not agree immediately received a glare or a roll of Potter’s eyes. Staring at this strange behaviour in wide-eyed shock, Draco almost breathed a sigh of relief when most of the Wizengamot agreed with Potter. After shrinking the image down again, Potter allowed it to play out, exactly as Draco remembered. He had been terrified of his Aunt, as well as the Dark Lord, at the time but had had no desire to see either one of them murdering anyone else.

“So, you can see that, despite clearly knowing that it was me who Greyback had found, Draco didn’t tell them. He saved my life that night, because they would have called Voldemort to Malfoy Manor and handed me over if he had confirmed that it was me.” Potter glanced briefly back towards Draco, whose nerves jumped again at the fire he saw in Potter’s eyes.

The Trial continued on in much the same style, with Potter interrupting when he apparently thought the members of the Wizengamot had forgotten why he was there. After the third time this had happened, with Potter standing in front of the entire room with his hands clenched because someone had suggested that Draco should spend at least _some_ time in Azkaban, Shacklebolt suggested with a sigh that Potter should simply have his say there and then. Seemingly happy with this suggestion, Potter stood up and told the entire Wizengamot exactly why they should release Draco. Draco could not fault Potter’s reasoning – that the only reason he had taken the Dark Mark was to keep his parents alive – but he did find himself wishing that Potter would tone it down a bit. He had begun to worry that the Wizengamot would find him guilty and put him away simply to show Potter that he had no power over them.

“Are there any comments from the Wizengamot?” Shacklebolt asked when Potter finally sat back down again.

Draco glanced nervously around the room, taking in the amused expression on Shacklebolt’s face, as well as the determination on Potter’s. Holding his breath as an elderly witch stood, Draco had to force himself not to jump when her high-pitched voice sounded around the room.

“I am in complete agreement with Mr. Potter, Minister. I believe there are very few true Death Eaters who were actually under the Imperius curse, and even less who have been coerced into doing You Know Who’s bidding. However, I do also believe that Draco Malfoy is a victim of circumstances beyond his control. He is still young enough that he can make a good impression on society. If he tries hard enough, he could even lose the stigma currently associated with his family name.”

 _Good, that was good_ , Draco thought frantically. _Not the insult, but the rest of it was agreeing with Potter!_ The knot of panic and fear slowly began to release as they heard the opinions of several other members, who all seemed to have the same opinion as the first witch: he had been young, stupid and forced into taking the Mark against his wishes. _Brilliant, apparently the only reason I’m going to get off here is by them all believing that I’m a fucking simpleton!_

After the Wizengamot members had had their say – with only two of them out of about ten who had voiced their opinions stating that Draco should be locked away immediately – Shacklebolt stood and called for silence. “I believe that the Wizengamot may have come to an almost unanimous decision. Draco Lucius Malfoy, I find you innocent of all charges. You are free to go.”

The chains slid down his wrists at the touch of the Ministry Guard’s wand and he was dragged to his feet. The Guard did not give him any time to adjust to the sudden movement, so he stumbled a little as he was tugged to a door off to the side of the room. The Guard pulled the door open and practically threw Draco inside with a sneer.

“Congratulations, _Mr._ Malfoy,” the emphasis spat at him by the Guard leant the insult to his name.

Straightening up, Draco turned to see his father standing formally in front of a white wall, his pale features set in a blank mask. Glancing off to his right at a small sound, he saw Weasley and Granger standing in a corner of the room, hands linked together. Giving them a small nod, he turned back to his father.

“Father,” Draco held out his hand for his father to shake. This was as relaxed as Lucius had ever been with Draco; his mother had always been the affectionate one.

His mother’s Trial took a very short amount of time compared to both Draco and his father’s. She came rushing in through the door and embraced them both, squeezing the air out of Draco before Lucius cleared his throat, indicating that they were not alone. Narcissa greeted the two standing in the corner with a lot less formality than Draco had, even offering a small smile, which Granger returned nervously. Lucius announced his intention of leaving straight away, but Narcissa put that idea down the second he had voiced it. She wished to stay and thank Potter for his help in keeping them all out of Azkaban.

Snape’s Trial seemed to be fairly short in comparison to Draco’s. Potter strode in after only half an hour, a huge smile on his face. Draco watched as he turned to face the door, seemingly waiting for Snape. The second the door opened, Potter let out a loud whoop and launched himself into Snape’s arms, kissing him enthusiastically. Shock rushed through Draco’s limbs as he watched Snape respond in kind, supporting Potter’s weight with one arm and pulling him closer with the other.

 _Potter and Snape? What? How? That’s... disgusting._ Draco only remembered his manners after his mother jabbed a nail into his arm, a small smile on her face. He followed Potter over to the corner of the room after he had broken apart from Snape and indicated that he wished to have a word with him.

“Draco,” Potter began, stunning him again with the use of his first name. “I, er, was kind of hoping that we could settle the problems we’ve had over the years. Kingsley thinks it would be a good idea and you’ve always gotten along really well with Sev –” _Sev?!_ “– so I was hoping today could be the start of both of us letting our issues go?”

Draco stood and stared at the offered hand, forcibly reminded of a similar situation nearly eight years before. They had just been boys then, but Draco had already been set on the course his father had planned out for him. His only experience of friendship back then had been Crabbe and Goyle; more cronies than actual friends. After seeing the lengths Potter and Weasley had been willing to go to in order to rescue Granger from the hands of his Aunt, Draco had realised that Potter had _true_ friends: people who would do anything for him. Shacklebolt had said something similar to him a few days before at Malfoy Manor, so maybe there was something here? Maybe he could just let all of the old issues go and they could start over?

“Thanks, Harry; that sounds good.” _Well that felt weird!_

On their way back through the Ministry Atrium, Lucius reminded Draco that he would be required to stay at Malfoy Manor all day the next day, as a celebration had been organised. Draco almost did himself an injury in an attempt to not roll his eyes. His father had decided almost the second he had known that Potter was going to testify for them that he was going to be found innocent. To celebrate his new-found freedom, Lucius had invited almost every single one of his business contacts to the Manor the next day for a party. Considering the fact that most of his father’s ‘parties’ tended to be one step off being a full-blown ball, Draco was really not looking forward to tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty then, here's their first meeting. Lincoln's the first OC I've created who has a lead role in anything I've put online, so opinions are appreciated!

Sulking in one of the corners of the large ballroom in Malfoy Manor the next night, Draco glared moodily at anyone stupid enough to try to approach him. He knew his mother would not like the idea of him being rude to their guests, but he could not help the way he felt about this party. His father was being a bloody hypocrite, laughing and smiling with people he would have gladly sent to their deaths just a few months before. Lucius had his fingers in many different pies: a potions company, the sponsorship of a local Quidditch team and a medical research facility were his main interests now that he was trying to keep his image as clean as possible. He had even given up using his name and money for influence with the Ministry; Draco had yet to work out exactly what it was he used to do there but had realised that he had no real desire to know.

Sighing as he received yet another glare from his mother, Draco pushed himself off the wall, grabbed a glass of punch and proceeded to make a circuit of the room. Lucius and Narcissa had taught him how to work a room from a very young age and in recent years he had refined their techniques, adding mild flirtatious references to his conversation, which had the elderly ladies tittering at him and kept him amused. Of course, the flirting was anything but mild whenever he came across someone he liked the look of – man or woman – and he had actually managed to pull a few dates and a one-night stand from these parties in the past. Knowing that no one in this room would be stupid enough to want anything to do with him now that he was marked the way he was, all he was really looking for at the moment was someone close to his age who was willing to put up with him for a few hours. If it turned out that they got along well enough that Draco felt comfortable enough with them to be friends, or maybe something more, then he would not turn that down, but he also knew that his chances of finding someone normal who could forgive everything he had done were extremely slim.

“Why, Draco Malfoy, you handsome devil! How is it that you manage to look better than anyone else in the room each and every time?”

Draco turned a charming smile on an elderly witch he had known his entire life. “I always make an extra effort when I know you’ll be here, Mrs. Montcliff.”

It was a weak attempt and he knew it, but he received the desired reaction: Mrs. Montcliff blushed and introduced him around her little group of hangers-on. Spending about ten minutes each with the small groups of witches and wizards as he worked his way around the room like his mother had taught him, Draco found himself scanning the crowd.

Smiling slightly as his eyes landed on his parents in the middle of the dance floor, Draco paused to watch them twirl around in time to the slow beat of the band. _This_ was what he truly wanted, deep down inside. Despite the fact that he had not had an Inheritance the year before, Draco wanted a relationship as strong as the one his parents enjoyed. Yes, they were bonded, but they really did love each other, no matter what the _Daily Prophet_ wanted to print about them. There had been a lot of speculation about whether there was Veela blood in the Malfoy lineage over the years, but the fact that no one had ever seen any indication that Lucius had Veela blood in him usually put those rumours to rest fairly quickly. No one outside the family and a few close friends had ever known about the Black family’s Veela ancestry, but Draco had always found it strange that the rumours never centred on his mother’s side of the family. He supposed it was because the rest of his mother’s family all had that crazy Black family hair, making them about as unlike the beautiful blond Veela as they could get. _Neither Potter nor Snape look like Veela..._

Draco shuddered at the thought and downed the rest of his punch before remembering that it was non-alcoholic. He had tried to force the image of Potter wrapped around Snape from his mind, but it continued to come back to haunt him, usually at the most unfortunate moments. His mother had explained that both Snape and Potter had Veela blood and were bonded – a fact that Draco was very determinedly _not_ jealous of at all – but that they had only realised they were bonded right towards the end of the Battle of Hogwarts. From the way his mother had explained it, it sounded very much like Potter had dragged Snape back from the brink of death, although how accurate that description of the events was could probably be debated.

Spending the next couple of hours making small talk with groups of people at least two or three times his age was not how Draco had imagined spending the first Saturday night of his 18th year. What he truly wanted was to be spending it with a group of friends or, even better, one particular person. Of course it would have helped if he had _had_ a ‘one particular person’ he could spend it with. Pansy and Blaise had been fun while they had lasted, but Draco had known at the time that there was no way either relationship would last. Besides that, he was unsure if it was a good idea to be keeping up those friendships he had had in school if he really was to improve the public perception of his family’s name. This uncertainty was also one of the reasons he could not prevent himself from constantly glancing around the room in an attempt to find someone his own age. After three whole hours of observing the crowds he figured that the closest he was going to get was the group of bankers he had found who all appeared to only be twice his age and interested only in the current intrigues in the goblin ranks at Gringotts.

Draco almost stepped on the foot of the middle-aged witch he was dancing with when he spotted an interesting-looking man walk away from his father. They had had a brief conversation before the man had walked off, with Lucius sneering at his retreating back. Draco had to admit that the man was not the type of person you usually saw at an event hosted by Lucius Malfoy: long, dark blond hair trailed down his back in dreadlocks, his midnight blue formal robes were a few years out of fashion and he kept fidgeting with the neck and sleeves as though he were uncomfortable. Despite all this, Draco found himself unable to look away until the man had disappeared into the crowd.

“Like the look of that young man, do you dear?”

Draco stared down at the witch he was dancing with in mingled shock and horror for a few seconds before his manners kicked back in. Shock because he had thought he was being subtle; horror because his father had no idea that he was interested in both men and women and Draco did not know if this woman was the type to tell. Giving himself a mental shake, he gave her his most winning smile and spun her quickly around the floor, grinning as she laughed.

“How could I be looking at anyone else when I have you in my arms, Mrs. Lancaster?”

“Oh, you little tease! You’ll turn out just like your father, won’t you?”

“Not everyone can aspire to such heights. I’ll be happy if I’m only half the man my father is.” He almost choked on the words, but got them out anyway.

Finishing the dance with Mrs. Lancaster was a chore Draco really did not want to complete. What he wanted right this instant was to go find the only person in this entire ballroom who looked even remotely interesting and get to know him better. Mentally cursing his good breeding and manners, Draco smiled, flirted and made small talk with the witch for the next few minutes, keeping his attention firmly on her so she would not have anything to tell his father. Draco had no idea how Lucius would react if he got into an actual relationship with a man, but tonight was really not the night to press his luck. He had a very strong feeling that his mother would just be glad that he was happy, as that is all she ever seemed to want.

The song finally ended and Draco led Mrs. Lancaster back to her friends, who all seemed determined to dance with him at some point that night. After some quick thinking and promises to find them later in the night, Draco made his excuses and headed off in the direction of the open bar. There were quite a few people in between him and the bar, but Draco could not really blame the man for heading in that direction, as speaking with Lucius had driven Draco to drink more than once over the past few years.

The way Draco’s luck had been going recently he knew that the man would most likely end up being straight, married, or completely uninterested in him, but he also knew he had to give it a try. After poor, dumb Crabbe had gotten himself killed in the Room of Requirement, Draco had managed to keep a tight hold of Goyle and get them both rescued by Potter’s saviour complex, but he really did not know if Goyle was the kind of friend he needed around after everything that had happened. Even if this man turned out to be better for nothing other than being a friend, or even a business contact – because who knew what he was going to do for a living? – then Draco supposed that would have to do. Still... It would be nice to be able to have _someone_ in his life who was interested in him for something other than his money and family name.

_For Merlin’s sake Draco, listen to yourself! Fantasising about being domestic with a complete stranger. How much more pathetic can you get?_ Shaking his head as he pushed the thoughts away, Draco ducked under one of the giant serving trays being carried around by a waitress, dodged past a group of Ministry workers – who all sneered at him – and broke out into a gap just in front of the bar. Glancing around in increasing frustration, he realised that the man had moved on while he had been dancing with Mrs. Lancaster. _Typical_. Giving it up for a lost cause, Draco grabbed a flute of champagne and moved out of the ballroom onto a terrace that overlooked the gardens, his bad mood threatening to return full-force.

*~*

Watching as the blond who had been distracting him the entire night moved away from the bar and onto an open terrace, Lincoln Northam tried to force the thoughts of following him out of his mind. The shimmering white-blond of his hair made it abundantly clear that he could only be a Malfoy: Lucius and Narcissa’s son, judging by his age. Making his way through the crowd surrounding the open bar, Lincoln ignored the small voice in the back of his mind telling him that following this man was a very bad idea. Sure, he liked the look of him, but chances were that he would turn out to be a Malfoy, which would mean that he had spent the night hitting on his employer’s son.

 _You don’t have to_ hit _on him, you horny idiot_ , Lincoln scolded himself as he reached the doorway leading out onto the terrace. _Just talk to him. He’s the only person here close to your age, so it’s logical that you should speak to him._

Lincoln watched as the man moved over to lean on the thick stone barrier blocking the terrace off from the gardens. The light bluish-grey robes the man wore – of the most fashionable style and the perfect fit – flowed around his thin frame as he moved and the flickering firelight from the ballroom reflected off his pale, white-blond hair in strange patterns, making him look almost ethereal in the moonlight. The forlorn expression on his pale, pointed face made Lincoln’s stomach flip. Sighing as he thunked his head back against the wall he was leaning on, Lincoln silently cursed his own stupidity for following him. What he wanted right at that moment, more than anything in the world, was to go out there and make damn sure that that man never looked that lost ever again.

The one thing preventing him from moving was the guilt he would feel over not being able to be completely honest with him about his heritage, and certain aspects of his nature due to said heritage. While he did not have the glowing eyes and pointed ears his mother did, he was still a half-blooded Wood Elf, which carried with it certain incredibly frustrating behaviours inherent to his nature. Due to the Statute of Secrecy and the natural cautiousness of the Wood Elf clans, especially after the Civil Wars they had fought just over two hundred years ago, it was impossible for him to tell anyone about his heritage who did not already know about him personally. Even if the person he was speaking to knew, even theoretically, that Wood Elves existed, he would still be unable to speak to them about his own nature unless they found out by themselves.

The other aspect of Lincoln’s nature that he was finding increasingly frustrating as he grew older was the fact that he had a mate. Not right at that moment, as he had not been claimed yet, but he knew that out there somewhere was a submissive who would claim him when they knew each other well enough. His younger sisters had spent months teasing him after they had both found their mates just after they had graduated from school, as it was highly unusual for a Wood Elf to not have found their mate by age 20, at the latest. Having reached his 26th year, Lincoln had nearly given up on being claimed, knowing that there were just some people who spent their lives with a partner who was not their mate. That knowledge, however, would not prevent his guilt from going into overdrive. It was different to the other Elves he had had brief relationships with: they all knew that they both had proper mates out there somewhere. The only way he could have a relationship with a normal wizard was if he spent his entire life living a lie; an idea that sent cold shivers down his back.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts, Lincoln glanced back to the man – _Draco?_ – and came to a swift decision. Downing the rest of the rather expensive-tasting whiskey from the open bar, he gathered his courage and made his way quietly out onto the terrace. _You don’t have to hit on him, no matter how pretty he is_ , he told himself firmly. _He looks lonely and you want someone to talk to: that’s all this is._

*~*

Resting his forearms on the balustrade overlooking the manicured gardens of Malfoy Manor, Draco bit back a sigh. He had managed to find, and then lose, the one person who had been invited to this ridiculous party who was even close to his own age. At least, that was what he was insisting on telling himself: that all he had wanted was a conversation with someone who did not need him to speak up due to their failing hearing. His desire to speak to him had absolutely nothing to do with the butterflies in his stomach every time he thought about the brief glimpse he had had of him.

“Oh, this is ridiculous; get a bloody grip, you idiot! You don’t even know him!” Draco muttered to himself as his stomach flipped once again.

“You know, talking to yourself is said to be the first sign of insanity.”

“Yeah? Well sometimes I need an expert opinion.”

The smartarse response was out of Draco’s mouth before he even had time to think about it. Straightening up, he turned to find himself staring into a pair of eyes of such a deep blue that they appeared to almost be violet in the dim light of the terrace. They sparkled as the man in the slightly out-of-date midnight blue robes grinned at him – with a mouth that Draco absolutely refused to be caught staring at – before moving to lean against the balustrade beside him. He looked to be about the same height as Draco, although he found it slightly difficult to tell with all those dreadlocks coming loose from the strip of leather he had used to tie them back.

“What exactly is it you need to ‘get a grip’ on?”

Draco silently cursed his pale skin – and his dirty mind – as he felt a blush reddening his cheeks. It spread along his neck and down to his chest as the man let out a quiet laugh.

“Not _quite_ what I meant, but I like the way you think,” the man chuckled as he pushed off from the balustrade. “Think Lucius’d freak if we went down there?”

Draco pulled his eyes away from the half empty flute of champagne, where he had firmly fixed them. The man grinned at him as he made his way down the stone steps into the garden, causing Draco’s stomach to flip once again. He knew the gardens were not out-of-bounds for the guests, but he also knew that his father would not be happy with him for encouraging one of them to simply go out exploring on his own. It was apparently not dignified enough for a Malfoy to go traipsing around the gardens at night, especially with someone they had only just met. Watching as the man turned and held his hands out to his sides, grinning in a silent challenge, Draco decided that he did not give a shit what his father thought; just for this one night, Draco was going to live the kind of life someone his age is supposed to live.

Lengthening his strides to catch up, Draco began trying to gather the courage to speak to this man properly. He was unlike anyone Draco had ever had much contact with before. His parents had always made absolutely certain that he was never near anyone who looked like they had ever done anything wilder than wear an outrageous colour of robe to a meeting at the Ministry, but this man... The only way Draco could think to describe it was that it looked like he had lived, truly and properly _lived_ in a way that Draco had never imagined. He had known for a while now that he had led a very sheltered life when compared to others of his age, but it had never really bothered him until that very second.

“Where are we going?”

“That’s some kind of pond down there, right?” The man glanced back to Draco, whose breath hitched at the look in his eyes. “I want to see it.”

_What the hell have I gotten myself into? Malfoys do not engage in moonlit strolls through the topiaries with complete strangers: it’s undignified!_ Frowning at the thought that sounded so much like his father that Draco almost turned to see if he was walking with them, he huffed out a breath in frustration with himself. A small rebellious feeling started to form in his stomach, lending him courage he had never felt before in the presence of a complete stranger. _Maybe we should start..._

They were silent as they made their way down to the pond the man had indicated. Draco knew that along with the matching one on the other side of the garden, this one fed into a small stream that formed the lake at the bottom of the property. It was one of his mother’s finest achievements, as she had worked the streams and ponds herself; guiding them until they had connected and formed the lake in the exact position she had wanted them to. His father had, of course, sneered at Narcissa for spending so much time in the garden when she could have just as easily spent the money to have a gardener come in and create what she wanted with magic. Draco had never forgotten her response when he had asked her why she had not followed his father’s suggestion: “Your father cannot always see the purpose in achieving something like this entirely on your own, my dragon. Magic can be a very useful tool, but it cannot create true beauty.” Casting his eyes over what his mother had achieved, Draco had to admit that she was correct: there was no way this pond and the adjoining stream and lake would be anywhere near as beautiful if he knew they had been created artificially.

His eyes traced along the edge of the pond as he slowed his steps, allowing himself to admire the way the man ahead of him was silhouetted against the moonlight reflecting off the pond’s surface. _Screw traditions_ , Draco thought defiantly as his stomach flipped once again. _Screw Father’s expectations of me._ He _is what I want right now and nothing is going to stop me from having him, even if it is only for one night._

*~*

_I am in so much trouble_ , was the only thought that drifted through Lincoln’s mind as he watched the moonlight reflecting off Draco’s pale hair. He had no idea how long they had been wandering around the gardens of Malfoy Manor; what he did know was that he had never connected this quickly with anyone else in his entire life. In the few hours they had spent together they had covered everything from their schooldays to their families to what sports teams they followed. Draco was nothing like what Lincoln had expected out of the heir to the Malfoy Estate: all the rumours had told him to expect an arrogant, prissy, evil little slime ball, but the man before him was nothing like that. He came across as almost being afraid that Lincoln would suddenly realise who he was speaking to and run for the hills. Not even the knowledge that Lincoln was a half-blood – a fact that he had voluntarily offered up just in case Draco still shared his father’s views on blood status – had brought out the apparently terrifying Death Eater Lincoln had also heard rumours of. Admittedly, Draco only knew that Lincoln was considered a half-blood _wizard_ , rather than a half-blood _Wood Elf_ , but Lincoln figured his acceptance of that fact was a good sign. The most logical reason for this, Lincoln knew, was that the War had changed Draco in ways that the rest of the wizarding world was probably never going to know about. He had shied away from speaking about what had happened during the past few months and Lincoln had not pushed, knowing instinctively that if he wanted to continue this whatever-it-was they had started that pushing too hard too soon would scare Draco away.

Despite the fact that their upbringings had pretty much been polar opposites, it seemed that they had the same core desires: someone they could trust completely to spend the rest of their lives with. Of course, Lincoln’s desire to find someone who he could trust completely was tied inexorably to his natural instinct to find his mate. Or, more specifically, to be found by his mate. The fact that it was almost always the submissives who chose the mates in the Wood Elf culture had annoyed him for years, as there had been times when he had wanted to just go out and choose a wizard friend as his mate just to get the waiting over and done with. He had always had people whom he had had the required level of trust needed to seal a bond with, the problem was that none of them had ever been submissive Wood Elves. They had also never had any kind of creature blood either, which was the only other way for him to be able to form a bond with them, if he got desperate enough. Dragging his eyes up Draco’s figure silhouetted in the moonlight, Lincoln let out a sigh. While Draco did look like a Veela, there was no way a Malfoy would have ever sullied their bloodline with creature blood. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts, Lincoln lengthened his strides to catch up with Draco.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You’ve been asking me things all night, why should I refuse now?” Lincoln’s stomach flipped at the teasing grin Draco shot him and he ducked his head, allowing his hair to fall in front of his face as he felt a blush threaten. “How can you stand to have your hair in front of your face like that all the time?”

Biting down on his bottom lip as he felt Draco’s long, elegant fingers brushing the dreads back from his face, Lincoln focussed determinedly on anything other than the fact that there was a whole swarm of butterflies going insane in his stomach. He also did _not_ focus on Draco’s soft grey eyes, or the lips that his tongue was currently flicking out to wet. Or the fact that he was now thinking of how much he wanted to do that himself. Feeling the anticipation build up between them, Lincoln knew what was coming next; knew that if he was ever going to back off from the inevitable, now was the time. He had picked up on small responses Draco had made over the course of the night that gave him the hope that maybe Draco was open to something other than just friendship. All he had to do was gather the courage to act on those suspicions. Releasing his lip from between his teeth, he took a small step forward, his eyes locked onto Draco’s.

“Who was it you were talking about back there? When I first came onto the terrace?” Lincoln had his suspicions, but he had to hear it firsthand.

Swaying closer, Draco got a better grip on the hair tangled through his fingers. Lincoln heard him take a shaky breath before he spoke, low and promising.

“You.”

It was both the most wonderful and terrifying thing Lincoln had ever heard. Draco’s soft lips pressed gently against his, the kiss feeling almost as though he was unsure if he should be doing this. His arms automatically going around Draco’s waist to pull him closer, Lincoln smiled as Draco relaxed against him, deepening the kiss. _Yes_ , he thought as his head swam. _I am definitely in trouble with this one._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to set the scene: this is the Monday after both the party at Malfoy Manor and the day Harry and Severus found out Harry was pregnant. It's the first part of the seven weeks I skipped over in between chapters 9 and 10 of BILYYI.

Waking to an empty bed was not the way Harry had wanted to start the day. Smiling as he pictured exactly how he would have _liked_ the day to have started, he rolled out of bed only to be hit by yet another wave of nausea. His morning sickness, as Madame Pomfrey had explained to him the other day, would most likely end as he was reaching his second trimester. Until then he would have to take a potion every night with tea that helped prevent the nausea and slight light-headedness that he had been dealing with for the past few days. Sev had promised to brew a batch of the potion so he could take the first dose that night, but that knowledge did not help his current condition. Sinking down to sit on the edge of the bed, Harry took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his churning stomach. Closing his eyes helped with the dizziness but he found that the second he opened them again it came back full force. He fell back onto the bed, groaning when the sudden motion set off a fresh wave of vertigo.

“Baby, I swear I’ll spoil you rotten when you arrive, if you just stop making me feel like shit.” Harry gently massaged his flat stomach, his eyes squeezed shut.

“No one has yet seen fit to start calling me ‘baby’, Potter; I doubt it shall stick.”

Harry grinned at the slight amusement in his mate’s voice. He found it strange that he could sense when Sev was near, but Hermione had explained that it was a ‘Veela thing’. Apparently there were a lot of ‘Veela things’ that Harry did not know of that he really probably should have: things like how he could instinctively manage to Heal Sev when he needed it, but could not Heal himself; that he would feel an almost constant need to at least be near Sev, if not actually touching him; and that a dominant Veela was able to produce pheromones that drove their submissive mates to distraction when they chose to use them. Hermione figured that the ability to produce these pheromones is what gave the impression that Veela have an allure they could use to attract a mate. Ron had been affected by Fleur’s supposed allure much worse than Harry had been back during their fourth year, but Hermione insisted it was because Fleur had had trouble controlling her Veela side back then. Sev was much older than Fleur had been then and was therefore able to control that side of himself much easier, usually using it to drive Harry into a state of delirious happiness when they were alone. The pheromones were the most surprising thing to Harry because he had always assumed that what he could smell when he was near to his mate was how Sev smelled to everyone. The warm, herb-like scent of his hair was apparently only obvious to Harry though and Ron had looked at him like he had completely lost the plot when he had mentioned it. Hermione, however, had just given him a knowing look which had turned him red to the roots of his hair.

Sitting up again as he heard his mate enter the bedroom, Harry opened his eyes and smiled when Sev came into his line of sight. He had never considered the idea that clothing could be sexy before, as he had always been much more interested in what was beneath it, but he would be damned if he would ever be able to _not_ be turned on by seeing Sev in just his plain white shirt and black trousers. Sev’s flowing black robes had hidden the clinging material of the black trousers from Harry’s sight for seven years and he had discovered that he was of the very strong opinion that covering up an arse like that should be a criminal offence... Giving himself a mental shake, Harry wondered how he could still be having thoughts like that when his stomach seemed to be attempting to expel everything he had ever eaten.

“Drink this.”

Harry immediately took the small vial Sev handed him as he sat on the bed, his innate trust in his mate not allowing any of his old suspicions to creep in. Screwing his face up as he smelled the same odour of egg coming off the steaming potion as he had the other day, Harry held his breath and downed it in one gulp.

“A hangover potion, Sev?” His voice was croaky as he handed the vial back to his mate, who was giving him an irritatingly smug smile.

“Slightly altered to prevent morning sickness, but yes, it _was_ a hangover potion originally. Now come on, back to bed.”

“Mmm,” was the only response Harry made as his blurry eyes tried to focus on Sev’s face without his glasses. “Sounds good to me.”

“Not what I meant, Potter, and you know it,” Sev chuckled, his deep voice sending desire thrilling through Harry. “I have some brewing to complete and you need to rest.”

Harry reached to grab hold of Sev’s wrist as he made to stand and pulled him back down onto the bed, grinning at the slightly startled noise his mate made. Without giving Sev time to catch his balance enough to attempt to stand again, Harry moved to straddle him, smiling properly when his mate’s face swam into focus with their close proximity. Running his fingers softly over the sharp angles of Sev’s cheekbones and jaw, Harry wondered vaguely how he could have ever thought this man to be ugly. Staring intently at his mate, Harry took in as much detail as he could in the gloomy light: the thin lips parted and glistening where they had been licked a few seconds before; the high cheekbones; the strong, incredibly masculine jaw; and the black eyes alight with a fire Harry had come to crave. Rocking his hips gently, Harry leant in close enough to lightly nibble his way along Sev’s jaw, his hand moving to push the long strands of hair back out of his way. Waiting for that one tiny little bit of give from his mate that would indicate that this was what he wanted, Harry allowed his other hand to drift down to rest just above Sev’s rapidly beating heart. He had no idea why, but he always got a sense of comfort from being able to feel his mate’s heart beat under his hand. Hermione had suggested that maybe it was because Sev had almost died in Harry’s arms that first night in the Shrieking Shack; that maybe his Veela sometimes needed the reassurance. Harry gasped as he felt Sev’s long fingers close around the hand resting on his chest.

“Harry...”

The low, almost breathless sound of Sev’s voice was all the permission Harry needed and he ducked his head to latch onto the pulse thrumming in the base of Sev’s throat. He knew that Sev had not liked the idea of allowing Harry to place his teeth anywhere near his throat at first and he had had to work hard to get him to relax enough to start enjoying it, but it had definitely been worth the effort. Harry had never considered himself to be anything near a control freak, but he had discovered that being able to reduce a wizard as powerful as Sev to a needy mess with just his hands and mouth was an incredible turn-on. Sucking hard on the pulse point, Harry barely resisted laughing when he was rewarded with a low moan. The hand that Harry had tangled through Sev’s long hair drifted slowly down to join his other on the white shirt, moving swiftly down as he popped the buttons from their holes. Harry let out a small sound of protest as he felt Sev’s hands gripping his hips, stopping the rocking motion that was his only form of friction at the moment.

“You are absolutely sure this is a good idea?”

Harry’s breath hitched at the look of uncertainty in his mate’s eyes. He knew it was because Sev did not wish to hurt him at all – and the thought warmed him from the inside out – but he knew that there was nothing for Sev to be worried about. Releasing his grip on the bottom of the shirt, Harry’s hands travelled up to cup Sev’s face as he brushed their lips together softly.

“I’m totally certain,” Harry breathed into the small gap between them as he pulled back from the kiss for a few seconds. “I want – no, I _need_ – you right now.”

Letting out a small moan when he felt himself stretching around one of Sev’s long fingers, Harry leant in again to capture his mate’s lips. The feeling of _right_ Harry always felt when they were together intensified as Sev wrapped his free arm around Harry’s middle, pulling him flush against him. If Harry had ever needed more proof that they were perfect together, this feeling was what he would have pointed to. He had been unable to explain it to Ron when his friend had questioned him after they had first sealed the bond, other than to tell him that being with Sev was the most important thing in the world to him at the moment. Since they had first bonded, Harry had felt himself responsible for Sev’s happiness and guilt washed through him every time he knew that Sev was feeling anything less than content with their current relationship, or even with life in general. The past month had given Harry a very good idea of exactly how to keep his Sev happy and he proceeded to exercise that knowledge to its full extent.

Dipping his tongue into the heat of Sev’s mouth, Harry enjoyed the small huff of breath through Sev’s nose that he knew meant that he had hit on something he had been craving. His mate never really asked for anything in bed, seeming content with the fact that Harry was there with him. In fact, now that he thought about it, Harry realised that he was the demanding one in the relationship: Sev knew exactly where and how to touch Harry to drive him insane, but had never given Harry any suggestions beyond his natural reactions whenever Harry hit on something that felt good. Running his tongue along the roof of his mate’s mouth earned Harry a soft moan, encouraging him further. He allowed his fingers to roam down Sev’s chest as he pulled back a little, smiling into the kiss as he felt a responding shiver run through his mate.

“Gods, Sev... more,” Harry panted, taking the finger impaling him in further. A second finger joined the first, scissoring inside Harry, who held his breath for a few seconds as pleasure washed through him.

“Breathe, Potter,” Sev’s lust-roughened voice rumbled in Harry’s ear, setting his nerve ends on fire.

Harry responded by starting to move on the fingers inside him. His hands fumbled with the fly on Sev’s trousers as he moved, eager to have his mate naked as soon as possible. Urgency and the occasional brush of his prostate made Harry’s fingers clumsy; the addition of a third finger stopped his attempts altogether. Bearing down on the intrusion, Harry let out a loud moan as Sev hooked the fingers and rubbed his prostate.

“Oh _fuck_... I – I need...” Harry babbled before leaning in to kiss his mate.

Draping his arms over Sev’s shoulders to support himself, Harry moaned loudly as shocks of pleasure wiped his mind of anything but the desperate need to be filled _right now_. Sev’s probing tongue opened Harry’s mouth, stoking the inferno in his stomach further. The combination of pressure on his prostate and the slow stroking of Sev’s tongue against his was driving Harry closer and closer to the edge, his hips stuttering on their own. Focussing solely on his own impending orgasm, Harry rocked his hips in an attempt to get the friction he needed. He heard Sev chuckle into the kiss, his free hand wrapping around Harry’s aching cock, stroking down his shaft slowly. Harry broke the kiss, his head tilting back with a deep moan as he felt the bliss of orgasm within his reach. The moan was cut short when he felt Sev’s long fingers wrap around the base of his cock, cutting off his climax before it started.

“Wha-? No, no, Sev please... Please.” Harry had to bite back a whine as Sev’s talented fingers left him and he was scooped up to be laid down on the bed.

“If I see you even considering touching yourself...”

Harry puffed out a breathless laugh as he watched Sev’s blurry form rise to strip himself of his clothing. Reaching to the bedside table without taking his eyes off his mate, Harry grabbed his glasses and jammed them on his nose, smiling as his eyes focussed properly. The contrast of Sev’s pitch-black hair against his pale skin always made Harry’s fingers twitch with the need to follow that tantalising trail of hair down below the band of his trousers. Clenching his fists in the covers in an attempt to calm the waves of desire crashing through him as Sev shed the shirt and his shoes, Harry heard his mate chuckle quietly. He could feel himself cooling down with the lack of stimulation and let out an unwilling groan as he saw Sev’s long fingers move to the fly of his trousers.

“Never one for patience, were you, Potter?”

Harry’s breath hitched in his throat as Sev moved onto the bed, trousers still frustratingly in place. “Enough teasing, Sev. I –”

His protest was cut off by a soft kiss. Harry could feel the bed dent in near his shoulder, where Sev’s arm was supporting his weight, as well as either side of his knees, preventing him from spreading his legs to force the stimulation he was craving. Sev’s other hand came to rest on Harry’s hip, holding him in place as his mate deepened the kiss. The taste and scent of his mate so close to him had Harry a wanton mess of flaming nerve endings for the second time that morning in a very short amount of time. Reaching up to hook his fingers through the belt loops of Sev’s trousers, Harry tried to pull his hips down, but only received a chuckle in response. Sev broke the kiss and took a breath to say something, but Harry cut him off.

“ _Evanesco_ ,” he muttered, Vanishing the offending clothing with a triumphant smile. “No more waiting, Sev. I want you _now_.”

Shock ripped through Harry as Sev wordlessly complied, removing his hand from Harry’s hip and nudging his legs apart with his knees. Harry automatically wrapped his legs around his mate’s waist as he settled into place on top of him, offering himself shamelessly. The feeling of finally having Sev settled against him was almost cancelled out by the passion burning deep in the black eyes boring into his. Raising a hand to trace his fingers along the line of Sev’s lips, Harry gasped as one of his fingers was sucked into the heat of his mate’s mouth. This was different to usual: this slow, burning passion deep in Sev’s eyes was new. Harry knew that Sev desired him – knew that because of the bond it was almost impossible for either of them to not _want_ the other – but he had never seen this kind of intensity of emotion from his mate before.

“Harry...” The raw need lacing through Sev’s deep voice almost brought Harry undone completely, but before he could respond, Sev was pushing into him, cutting his voice off.

Tightening his legs around his mate’s waist to make his entry easier, Harry focussed on holding onto his control, not wanting to finish too soon, despite his desperate need for release. Tangling a hand through the long strands of hair hanging down in front of him, Harry pulled Sev down into a passionate kiss, receiving a deep moan for his efforts. Being unable to voice his pleasure was frustrating, especially considering Harry knew just how much Sev liked to be able to hear him, but they had been assured that there was nothing wrong with Harry; that this may very well just be a part of being a submissive Veela. It had caused Harry to develop more physical methods of showing his pleasure, which Sev appeared to appreciate, despite Harry knowing that his silence still worried him a little.

Harry held Sev closer as he felt his arms begin to tremble from holding still, waiting for Harry to adjust to him. Thrusting his hips upwards once was all it took for Sev to begin to move inside him, giving him the friction his aching cock had been craving for what seemed to be hours now. Harry’s head fell back against the pillow as Sev broke the kiss to nibble at the base of Harry’s throat. Running his nails along where he knew the join of Sev’s wings would be if they were out earned Harry a deep moan that vibrated through his entire body. Arching his back in response to Sev hitting his prostate, Harry knew he would not last much longer. His hands roamed down Sev’s back to grip the soft flesh of his arse, pulling him deeper with each thrust. Harry forced his eyes open, needing to see his mate as he came. Fiery black eyes gazed down at him as his release neared, burning with the same passion Harry had seen earlier.

“Harry,” Sev moaned, his voice rough with desire. “Come for me, Harry.”

It was all Harry needed to hear. Feeling as though he was releasing something that had been building up in him forever, Harry let go of his control, allowing himself to tip over the edge. Finally able to voice what he was feeling, he let out an incomprehensible groan filled with everything he felt for his mate but was unable to tell him yet. His release shot in between them, coating both of their torsos with thick ropes of cum. It only took two more thrusts before Sev found his release as well, muffling his moan by biting down on Harry’s shoulder as his body spasmed over and over again. He collapsed down on top of Harry, who wrapped his arms around him securely, fulfilling his need to be as close to his mate as possible. After a few minutes of simply laying there enjoying the feeling of having his mate in his arms, Harry had to concede to allowing Sev to move onto his back. Harry spelled them both clean as Sev rolled over, taking Harry with him. Nestling down against Sev’s chest while they both caught their breath, Harry knew that there was never going to be anywhere he would rather be than settled safely in his mate’s arms.

*~*

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm the unexpected bout of nerves that cropped up at seeing Hogwarts for the first time since the Battle, Draco had to wonder exactly what he thought he was doing here. Having owled the new Headmistress the day before to request a meeting, he suddenly found himself incredibly unwilling to go inside the gates of his former school. He knew that he had to have something to occupy his time while he worked out what he wanted to do with his life other than lying around in his bedroom at the Manor fantasising about a certain pair of violet eyes and strong arms wrapped around him, but was unsure if this was the way he should go.

Violet eyes and strong arms he would be seeing again the next night. Smiling to himself at the images conjured by the thought of Lincoln, Draco used the distraction they caused to help calm his nerves. Saturday night had been... _perfect_. The gravel of the path crunched beneath his boots as he thought back on the conversations they had had. Draco knew that if this went the way he was hoping it went, then his father would most likely pitch a fit over the fact that not only was his only son in a relationship with a man, but a _half-blood_ at that. The problem Lucius would find himself facing, however, was that Draco no longer cared what he thought when it came to this. If Draco got his way – which was usually what happened – then Lincoln would be his in a very short amount of time. Taking the stone steps two at a time as he entered the Entrance Hall of the castle, Draco had to hold back a yelp as he ran smack into Potter coming up from the dungeons.

“Merlin’s balls, Potter,” he swore as they both backed off a few steps.

Running his eyes up Potter as he attempted to catch his balance against the stone railing of the stairs, Draco frowned. He knew that Potter and Snape were in a relationship – he actually could not seem to be able to escape the fact, no matter how hard he tried – however, he now found himself wishing that Potter would make at least a rudimentary attempt to hide some aspects of said relationship. His hair was mussed, his eyes hooded and dreamy and he was walking almost gingerly. He looked like he had been quite thoroughly fu...

“Can’t you do something about that horrific hair of yours?” Draco grumbled, cutting the thought off viciously before it could scar him mentally.

“My hair?” Potter ran a hand through the offending mess, offering up a confused smile. “I’ve tried over the years, but this is just the way it grows. What are _you_ doing here?”

There was no venom to the question, which was a little surprising, given their mutual history, but Draco figured that this was Potter attempting to honour Shacklebolt’s suggestion that they try getting along.

“I have a meeting with the Headmistress.” Draco knew that his answer was far less than what Potter was after, but he seemed to accept it with a shrug of his shoulders. Standing aside as Potter moved slowly up the stairs leading up through the castle, Draco bit back a sigh as it appeared that they were heading the same way. Wandering along in complete silence through the part-destroyed castle was mildly eerie, to say the least and Draco found that he had to break the silence between them. “No fan club trailing behind you anymore?”

“‘Fan club’?” Potter turned back to stare at him for a few seconds at the top of a set of stairs, his expression unreadable. “Ron and Hermione have gone to Australia to reverse the memory charm she put on her parents to keep them safe during the War.”

Slight surprise flittered through Draco as he followed Potter’s progress through the castle. “Granger put a memory charm on her parents?”

“Yeah, so they’d forget her. In case the Death Eaters found them and tried using them against us.”

Draco froze halfway up a set of stairs. Having lived his entire life trying to live up to an impossible standard his father had set him, it was incomprehensible that Granger had had the strength to wipe herself from her parent’s minds, even temporarily. He could not imagine living with the knowledge that either of his parents did not remember him, even if it was his father. Staring up at Potter’s retreating form, Draco blinked a few times in an attempt to clear his mind of the shock it was currently fogged by.

“She _wiped herself_ from their minds? Everything they had ever done; everything she has ever known? It’s just... gone?”

Potter reached the top of the stairs and turned, his arms crossed over his chest. “She made a sacrifice to protect them and now they’ve gone to reverse it. We _all_ made sacrifices to this War, Malfoy; I thought you’d have worked that out by now.”

Ducking his head as guilt prickled across his skin, Draco suddenly realised what his words must have sounded like. No matter what had passed between them in the past, Draco did not actually hold any grudge against Potter; or Granger and Weasley for that matter. He had absolutely no wish to purposefully make any of their lives more difficult than he already had and was actually willing to follow Shacklebolt’s suggestion and play nice. This, of course, lead to him having the extremely strange feeling that he should probably apologise. _To Potter_. Biting back a sigh as he examined the impulse, Draco moved up the rest of the steps to stand beside Potter at the top.

“I’m sorry, that didn’t come out the way I meant it to. I just—” Draco cut himself off, scrubbing a hand through his hair and glancing down the corridor, realising they were almost standing outside the Head’s office. “Do you have any idea how incredibly strange this is for me? I was raised to show nothing but animosity towards you and anyone who opposed my father’s beliefs and now here I am, disgraced in front of the entire wizarding world and making nice with ‘the other side’.”

Draco scowled at the smug look Potter shot him before relaxing his rigid stance. He knew that if he was going to make this work that he had to let go of certain habits and thinking of Potter as ‘the bad guy’ had to be one of them. Glancing up as he caught Potter moving off in the direction of the Head’s office, Draco slowly followed along behind him, unable to shake the feeling of needing to be cautious. He froze again when Potter turned in front of the stairs.

“‘The other side’ doesn’t exist anymore, Draco. We’re all here trying to rebuild. Together. If you’re here to help, then that’s fantastic; we actually need more hands around here. If not, then...” He left the sentence open, muttering the password to the Head’s office as he turned to walk away. “Oh and Draco? If you’re going to work around here, you might want to get yourself some jeans and an old t-shirt; it gets pretty messy.”

Draco frowned down at his black trousers and black button-up shirt as the door opened up, revealing the moving spiral staircase. Nerves fluttered through him again as he ascended, wondering how Potter could be so easy in his company after everything he had done. He did not have much time to wonder as the door opened the second he got off the stairs, showing McGonagall sitting behind the tidy desk.

“Mr. Malfoy, come in.” She did not raise her head from her paperwork as he entered and sat on the edge of a chair in front of the desk. “What can I do for you?”

Draco took a steadying breath and let it out slowly. “I want to offer any help I can with the rebuilding of the castle, Headmistress.”

This caused her to look up at him in slight shock, her green eyes wide. Recovering swiftly, she set her quill down and really looked at him. Draco had to resist the urge to squirm like a child under the gaze of a Professor.

“You truly wish to help?”

“I’m not asking to be put in charge of anything important, but I do want to help, even if it is only cleaning up after the others.” It galled him to admit that this was probably the only physical work he would be required for, but at least it was _something._

McGonagall was quiet for a long minute, simply staring at Draco as though she could read his intentions in his expression. “Fine,” she barked eventually, taking up the paperwork again. “There is a group of Slytherin students who haven’t been listening to Granger and Weasley. Perhaps you will have more luck with them. They were sent home just after the Trials, due to a lack of supervision, but I will owl them all again and can have them here for the start of next week if that suits you.”

Draco knew it was not a question; that he had just been told to be here Monday morning ready to work, or else. “Thank-you, Headmistress. I’ll see you Monday morning.”

Taking his leave of McGonagall with a slight inclination of his head, Draco left the room as quickly as decorum allowed. Adrenalin thrummed through his veins as he walked swiftly back down through the castle and he had to try to resist the urge to grin like an idiot. The knot of nerves and stress that felt like it had been with him for years was slowly unwinding a little with each step Draco took towards sorting his life out. Not only did he have something to work towards again, but he might have also found someone to share it with. This was the best he had felt since that madman had flounced into his life the summer after his fifth year and he was going to do everything he could to hold onto that feeling.


	4. Chapter 4

Clenching his fists in the pockets of his jacket to try to calm the nerves fluttering through his stomach, Lincoln tried to work out why he was so incredibly nervous. Telling himself that he had met Draco before and that he had actually agreed to go out with him, so there was no reason for him to worry, was of absolutely no help at all. There was always that snide little voice in the back of his mind telling him that there was no way anyone like Draco could be interested in him; that he had actually thought Lincoln was someone else and would back out the second he arrived. He had known on Saturday night that being around Draco could quite possibly be dangerous to his mental health. Simply put, it was unhealthy for a grown man to be having the kind of reaction to someone he had just met that Lincoln was having. He had not been able to get Draco out of his mind for the past few days and his distraction had lead to some slightly embarrassing situations. It was impossible for this reaction to be a bond of any kind, as he knew that Draco was a full-blood wizard, so the only explanation that he could come up with was that he had to be extremely careful, as it was possible that he would be able to fall quite easily for him.

Of course, the other answer was that he was slowly losing his mind due to his lack of a proper mate. Despite the fact that he was a fully qualified Healer, he had never bothered to study bonds and people’s reactions to them if they did not find their mate, so he had no real idea if it was even possible for a Wood Elf to become desperate enough for a bond that they would latch onto the most convenient person they came across. Not that he could ever class Draco as ‘convenient’: charming, captivating, impossibly sexy, but never convenient.

Shaking his head to rid himself of thoughts that would lead him down a dangerous path, Lincoln tightened his leather jacket as a breeze swept down the street. Despite the fact that it was the start of summer, it was still getting cold during the night, especially just after the sun went down and he had dressed accordingly: dark blue jeans, his favourite band t-shirt and his old leather jacket. Even though he had known it would be cold out, he had decided to go for comfort rather than warmth, knowing that it was always easier for him to completely be himself if he was relaxed.

“Lincoln?” He turned to find Draco standing just outside the door to the muggle side of the Leaky Cauldron where Lincoln had been waiting for him, eyes wide as they trailed down his body. “Wow...”

“Wow yourself,” he whispered back, moving in to embrace Draco to hide the sudden blush his obvious approval had caused. Stepping back once he was under control again, he ran his eyes down Draco’s form, brazenly checking him out from head to toe. The obviously tailored black trousers, dusky green loose cotton shirt and ankle-length black coat combined to stir something in his stomach that he absolutely refused to examine. “That owl you sent yesterday said you needed new clothes, but I really don’t see a problem here.”

“Well, I can’t exactly wear this to help clean up the school, can I?” Draco lowered his eyes, staring at Lincoln through a barrier of blond lashes. “I figured since you live around here you’d know where to go.”

Lincoln grinned, knowing exactly where he was going to take him. He figured he could be forgiven for taking the opportunity Draco had presented him with to show off his date to an old friend in the process. “I know just the place.”

The tiny muggle clothing shop was only a ten minute walk from the Leaky and Lincoln was honestly astonished at how easy it was to fall into comfortable conversation with Draco. It was almost as if they had known each other for years already; joking, gentle teasing and laughter came easily, especially when it came to their respective Quidditch teams. Draco was absolutely convinced that Puddlemere were going to top the ladder this season, but Lincoln was trying to convince him that the Harpies had a much better chance. He knew, of course, that the Harpies stood basically no chance at all when faced with the fact that bloody Puddlemere was apparently looking to steal Wilda Griffiths, one of the best chasers the Harpies had seen in a long time.

“I really don’t see how you can think they stand a chance,” Draco grumbled, grinning as Lincoln rolled his eyes.

“You do realise that there’s not that many Welsh teams out there, right?”

“Oh, come on, who cares? Holyhead isn’t anywhere near Cardiff; it’d make more sense for you to support Caerphilly if you’re going by location. For that matter, it’d actually make much more sense for you to support an English team, since you live in London.” The calculating look in Draco’s dancing grey eyes told Lincoln that he may very well be being tested. He had caught a few assessing glances Draco had shot him during the walk that made him wonder if his responses to certain things were being weighed against a checklist.

Making the decision to play up to his part, Lincoln froze, his look of mock horror causing Draco to snigger. “‘Who cares’? _I_ care! The Harpies are my team, no matter how far their hometown is from mine. Oh, and as for the whole ‘London team’ thing: I’m Welsh, or hadn’t you noticed the accent, you bloody prat?”

“Mmm, but I figured I could forgive that minor flaw,” Draco grinned as he wrapped his fingers through the front of the leather jacket, pulling Lincoln close.

“Oh, how incredibly magnanimous of you, Mr. Malfoy,” Lincoln managed to breathe in the few seconds it took before Draco claimed his lips.

Pleasure flittered through Lincoln’s stomach as he realised he must have passed whatever test Draco had set for him. Wrapping his arms tightly around Draco’s waist beneath the coat to hold him securely against his chest, Lincoln brushed his tongue against Draco’s soft lips. The quiet sigh Draco gave as his mouth opened caused Lincoln’s head to swim dizzily and he tightened his grip on Draco’s shirt, bunching it in his fists when he found that he needed a solid anchor to the real world. Draco’s hands moved restlessly, sliding slowly up Lincoln’s arms, one coming to rest across his shoulders, the other tangling in his hair. Lost in the sensations running through him, Lincoln breathed in deep, savouring the hint of sandalwood drifting from Draco’s collar. He had to bite back a groan when Draco broke the kiss.

“I’ve been dreaming about doing that again for the past three days,” Draco whispered against Lincoln’s lips. 

“If that’s how you’re going to react every time I insult you, I’ll have to do it more often,” Lincoln responded with a grin, reaching to nibble on Draco’s bottom lip. He frowned when Draco pulled away.

“We have an audience.”

Lincoln followed the direction of Draco’s gaze to the front of the clothing store behind them, knowing exactly what he would see there. He had known Jacob Prentiss, the owner of the store, for about five years now, ever since he had moved to London. Jake had been one of Lincoln’s first friends in the muggle world and had been a big help when Lincoln had needed someone to gripe to about his lack of a love life. Which was exactly why this had been the place to spring to his mind when Draco had mentioned needing muggle clothing: Jake would never believe him if he simply told him he had finally found someone. Lincoln grinned at the surprised look Jake shot him, before grabbing Draco’s hand and leading him towards the door.

“That’s just Jake; he’s an old friend. A few things before we go in: one, he’s a muggle; two, he _will_ hit on you; and three, he’s a little... eccentric. He’s not dangerous, just, well you’ll see.” Lincoln smiled as he felt Draco’s fingers tighten around his.

“What’s this, Link? Don’t tell me you’re going to leave me to be the only sad single left around here?” The sparkle in Jake’s eyes softened the words.

Lincoln offered a reassuring squeeze of Draco’s fingers as he felt him tense beside him. “Jake, this is Draco: you have to play nice. Draco, this is Jake, the owner of the best clothing store in London.”

“Oh, stop it, you,” Jake swatted playfully at Lincoln’s shoulder, batting his eyelashes ludicrously before turning to Draco. “Please say I get to dress you,” Jake offered Draco his hand with a beguiling smile, his deep brown eyes sparkling.

Lincoln stepped back, allowing Jake to draw Draco over to the different racks of t-shirts, smiling slightly as he listened to him rave on about colours and cuts. Jake truly loved his work, which Lincoln figured was a good thing for his customers, as they all seemed to leave happy. Taking the opportunity to take a good look at Draco unobserved, Lincoln’s eyes travelled slowly up his legs and found himself frustrated by the flowing coat. As much as it suited him, Lincoln wished he could get a better look at what the coat covered up. Besides that, Draco looked a little thin, but that could be put down to the stress he had been under during the War.

Watching as closely as he was, it was impossible for Lincoln to not notice Draco tense when Jake placed a hand on his left forearm to draw him over to the shelves stacked with jeans. His protective instincts kicking into overdrive, he was at Draco’s side in a matter of seconds, his own hand landing on the small of Draco’s back. It was gratifying for his Elven side to feel the tension leaving Draco beneath his touch and he offered a reassuring smile as their eyes met.

“Oh, just look at you two, you’re so cute,” Jake’s voice cut into their private little bubble. “I almost don’t want to say it, Link, but Draco needs to try on some of these clothes, so you’ll have to let him go.”

Lincoln glanced down, realising with a slight blush that he had grabbed Draco’s hand as he had turned to face him. He allowed his grip to loosen and his hair to fall in front of his face to cover his reddening cheeks. His reactions to the world around him had always been at least partially governed by his Elven instincts and he had never felt the need to try to control them before, but if he was to have a normal relationship with Draco, then he thought that he may just have to make the attempt. It was, therefore, quite surprising to feel Draco’s fingers tighten around his before slipping free so he could go to the changing rooms. Lincoln watched him go from behind the curtain of his hair, his heart thudding in his chest.

*~*

Draco took a shaky breath and held it a few seconds before letting it out slowly. Feeling the need to cool down a bit before going back out there, he rested his forehead against the cool glass of the mirror as he started stripping his clothes off. It had been a bit of a rollercoaster of a night for him, with his emotions ranging from the disappointment of Lincoln – _Link?_ – not kissing him hello, to the high of taking the initiative himself. He was still riding high on the adrenalin rush of that kiss combined with the earthy scent that washed over him whenever Lincoln was near and had hoped desperately that Jake had not been able to feel the slight tremble in his fingers as they shook hands. He figured the shock of having Jake grab his forearm must have caused him to jump or have some other kind of physical reaction, as Lincoln – _Lincoln? Link? I definitely like them both_ – had appeared at his side almost as if he had been Summoned, his warm hand resting securely on Draco’s lower back. Draco had turned intuitively towards the source of comfort, only to find himself lost in those deep blue eyes. The sense of warmth that had run through his stomach was only just ebbing as he pulled on a t-shirt and pair of jeans. It was one of those feelings that he knew he would analyse over and over again in the privacy of his suite back in the Manor, but he locked it away for now, choosing instead to focus on what was immediately in front of him: trying to not look absolutely ridiculous in this muggle clothing.

*~*

“Oh, my God, he is so hot,” Jake hissed as the changing room door closed behind Draco. “Where the hell did _you_ find someone like _him_?”

Lincoln grinned as he tucked a handful of dreads back behind his ear. “He’s actually Lucius Malfoy’s son. I met him at a party on Saturday.”

“Oh, _no_ , really? You do realise how incredibly bad this could go for you, right? What if he dumps you? Hell, what if you dump him? Then his father would do everything he could to get you fired and you’d have to go slinking back to Cardiff with your tail between your legs. It really is incredibly selfish of you, you know. You’d be leaving me here all on my own. Who else would I find as a wingman?”

“Oh, I’m so terribly sorry, Jake,” Lincoln responded with heavy sarcasm. “I forgot I had to check to see if my personal life would impact negatively on yours.”

“Apology accepted,” Jake bowed with affected graciousness, but sobered as he straightened up. “Seriously though, it’s good to see you happy again, mate. It’s been too long since I’ve seen a man with the ability to make you blush –”

Lincoln followed the direction of Jake’s gaze as he stuttered to a stop. Draco had exited the change room and was standing staring down at himself with an uncertain look in his grey eyes. Lincoln moved between the racks so he could get the full effect. The dark blue denim was low-slung, coming to rest on Draco’s hips. It clung to his finely sculptured arse and halfway down his thighs before dropping from there in a straight line to allow him to wear boots beneath them. He had paired them with a plain black fitted t-shirt that sent Lincoln’s mouth dry. He swallowed hard and attempted to form a sentence that was neither gibberish nor an offer to take Draco home right now and help him out of those jeans.

“That bad is it?” Draco spun around, looking at himself in the change room mirror. His hands ran down his back and over his arse, obviously checking the feel of the denim on his skin.

Lincoln gave a small strangled-sounding noise, finally roused into action by the doubt in Draco’s voice. Closing the gap between them in three quick strides, he grabbed Draco’s wrists and wrapped them around his middle, holding him in an embrace from behind. The smell of sandalwood invaded his senses again and he breathed deep, enjoying the feel of having Draco in his arms again.

“I’m going to have a bit of a crisis if you don’t stop touching yourself like that,” he murmured into Draco’s ear, receiving a quiet, surprised chuckle in response. “They may be slightly inappropriate for working at a school, but get them anyway; trust me.”

“If I’m not going to wear them for work, why would I want them?”

Lincoln tightened his grip as Draco tried to turn to face him. “I’ll just have to find places for you to wear them, won’t I?” He smiled when Draco shivered. “Maybe I’ll invent some pathetic excuse to see you again soon, someplace messy so you don’t want to get your fancy trousers dirty, so you’ll have to wear them.”

Something unidentifiable flashed in the depths of Draco’s eyes as he relaxed back into the embrace. “You won’t need an excuse to see me again.”

“Oi you two, no rutting in the store unless you’re willing to let me charge people to watch,” Jake’s voice broke in, startling Lincoln into stepping back. Considering the fine line they had begun to tread, Lincoln thought later on that it was probably a really good thing that Jake had spoken up when he did, but right at that moment he could have gladly hexed him, Statute of Secrecy be damned. He caught Jake’s smirk as he moved back to lean against the counter next to him and had to fight back a blush. “Not that I blame you Link, because really, who would _not_ want someone who looks like that, but I can’t allow that sort of thing in here.”

“Yeah, because you’ve never defiled anything in this bloody place,” he muttered, only half joking.

The grin Jake shot him was a little disconcerting, but he chose to ignore it as he watched Draco parading round in different styles of jeans for the next few minutes. He wound up buying seven pairs, including two different colours of the pair that had rendered Lincoln speechless. They left the store with promises to come back soon, Draco carrying three very full bags of clothing, one of which was just a bag of t-shirts, both long and short sleeved. Lincoln grabbed one of the bags from him, ignoring his protests that he could carry them all himself.

“I know you could,” he stated over the top of Draco’s objections. “But this way it leaves your hand free.”

Lacing their fingers together caused a blush to spread across Draco’s pale cheeks as they slowly made their way back towards the Leaky. They walked in silence, Lincoln stealing glances at Draco whenever they passed beneath a streetlight. The happiness he had seen soften Draco’s pointed, aristocratic features just before they had kissed on Saturday night had been more obvious tonight, making his strange grey eyes dance. Finding himself gripped with the desire to bring that kind of joy to Draco’s eyes once again should have been setting off alarm bells in his mind, as he had come into this determined to keep their interactions casual, but the only thing he could think was that he did not want the night to end so early. Thinking quickly as the Leaky came into sight, Lincoln cleared his throat quietly, nerves gripping him as the thought occurred that while he may not want the night to end just yet, Draco might; despite the reassurance he had offered back in Jake’s shop. A slightly nervous smile slid across his lips as he caught Draco’s quizzically raised eyebrow.

“Fancy a drink?” Draco’s other eyebrow raised to join the first in his hairline as his eyes slid over to the Leaky. “Not there,” Lincoln added with a touch of amusement at the slight horror that was now spreading across Draco’s face. “I know somewhere cleaner, just off the Alley.”

He knew it was a risk, taking Draco into the Lucky, the local hangout for those of a decidedly non-human persuasion. The clientele mostly consisted of full-blood Wood Elves wearing glamours to hide their true natures from the rest of the creature community, along with a few werewolves and vampires. They got the occasional Veela passing through, but they tended to stick to their own haunts, far away from the simple, grubby-looking bar. The Elves used the bar to keep up to date with the goings-on of their clans while they made a living in the wizarding or muggle world, as well as using it to meet others who had decided that living in the clans was not for them.

“It’s ok,” Lincoln murmured as he caught Draco’s expression of worry when the bar came into view. “The inside is much better than the outside.”

“It would be difficult for it to look worse,” was Draco’s quiet reply as Lincoln pushed the door open.

Chuckling slightly at the vaguely horrified words, Lincoln led the way into the small-ish bar, pleased to note the small sigh of relief from behind him. The bar itself was directly in front of them, surrounded by stools made of a dark wood that matched the wood of the bar exactly. There was a small dance floor in the centre of the room, crowded with couples as a slow tune drifted over them from the band to their immediate left. Lincoln’s aim was to reach the booths beyond the dance floor; preferably before they could run into anyone he knew who would distract him from Draco.

“Link! The usual?”

Lincoln glanced over to the bar, smiling as he held up two fingers to Tess, the barmaid that night, before guiding Draco through the couples on the dance floor towards the booths. They made it without any incidents and were joined a few seconds later by two bottles of Ogden’s Old Firewhiskey Tess had hovered over. The noise from the bar subsided a little as they slid into opposite sides of the booth, due to the light silencing charm each booth had built-in. Lincoln watched Draco as he carefully shrunk each of the his packages and stuffed them into the pocket of his trousers, his nervousness showing through in the slightly jerky movements. Taking a fortifying mouthful of whiskey when Draco glanced around, looking anywhere but at him, Lincoln had to admit to himself that maybe he was the only one who had wanted the night to continue.

“We can leave if you’re uncomfortable,” he mumbled into his drink, disappointment stabbing through his chest.

“No,” Draco’s soft voice sounded from the other side of the table. Then, when Lincoln did not look up, he added, more forcefully, “ _No_ , I don’t want to leave. I just... You have a whole life here with friends and a ‘usual’ at your local bar. I don’t see the benefit for you of having to try to force someone like _me_ into somewhere I don’t fit, and likely won’t be welcome.”

Draco’s fingers trailed, apparently unconsciously, along his left forearm as his words trailed off. Lincoln’s protective instincts immediately rose to the forefront of his mind again, causing him to reach across the table to grab hold of one of Draco’s hands between both of his. He watched Draco staring down at the pattern his thumbs were tracing across the back of Draco’s hand, trying to decipher what was running through his mind. Thinking of just how annoying it was to try to read the expressions of someone who had obviously been taught to control them, Lincoln made a snap decision.

“Draco, I’ve lived here for five years, since the year I qualified as a Healer. Yes, I’ve made friends here, but that’s all these people are to me: friends. _You_ are the first man I’ve found myself attracted to in almost two years. Take a look around. Everyone here is just like me: mid-level professionals of some sort all trying to escape their boring lives by rubbing up against each other in a dingy pub in the middle of the week. I like you because you’re different, you apparently don’t expect me to be a certain way just because of the way I look and because you are so _unbelievably_ sexy it’s beyond words.” This last earned him a blush and a shy smile as Draco shifted in his seat. “Trust me when I say that you being different to everyone else here is a very big point in your favour.”

Draco seemed to consider his words for a few minutes – some of the longest minutes of Lincoln’s life – leading to Lincoln quietly telling himself that he did not care if Draco chose to leave right now. He would cope with the loss, such as it was, just as he had coped with being without someone for the past few years. Maybe they could stay friends; it would be better than nothing, after all. Disappointment lanced through him again when he felt Draco’s hand being tugged away from his. He glanced up to see Draco shrugging out of the long coat, a small smile on his lips.

“Come dance with me.” Draco stood, offering his hand, the smile widening as Lincoln took it and followed him onto the dance floor.


	5. Chapter 5

_Draco sighed in contentment as Lincoln moaned beneath him. Licking and nibbling his way down the tanned skin in front of him, Draco latched onto one of Lincoln’s nipples, smiling as he earned himself another incoherent groan. Using his left hand to hold Lincoln’s hips in place, Draco sent his right trailing feather-light touches along Lincoln’s torso until it reached his face. He brushed his fingers over the soft skin of his lover’s cheeks, up to his forehead and down along his nose, memorising the contours of his face as he moved to latch onto the other nipple, treating it to the same biting, licking and sucking as the first. Draco’s fingers were sucked into the heat of Lincoln’s mouth as they trailed down slowly and it was his turn to moan, the sensations running through him almost too much to bear._

_“Draco...” He almost lost all of his tightly held composure as he heard his name moaned in that tone of voice by the man he wanted most in the entire world. “I – I can’t... Have to...”_

_Draco took pity on him, lowering himself so Lincoln could finally grasp hold of his hips. He allowed himself to be rolled over, watching as Lincoln stared down at him through hooded violet eyes, his breath coming in sharp gasps through his parted lips. Holding his hand out, Lincoln Summoned a jar of lubricant and slicked his fingers up before lowering himself on top of Draco, moulding their bodies together. Draco’s legs came up automatically, wrapping around Lincoln’s waist to allow better access as their lips connected again. Draco groaned as Lincoln teased him, trailing a slicked-up finger all over his entrance before finally breaching him. Draco’s back arched as he felt himself stretching around a second finger eagerly, not caring about the burn having two fingers inside him so soon was causing, especially when Lincoln brushed against his prostate._

_“Oh – oh Gods, I...” Draco stuttered, hoping desperately that he would be able to hold on. A third finger drew a high-pitched whine from him and a quiet chuckle from Lincoln._

_“You like this?” Draco squeezed his eyes shut, biting down on his bottom lip hard as he nodded frantically. “Mmm, how about this?”_

_Draco cried out again as the fingers scissored inside him, brushing his prostate and stretching him wide. “Please, Link, please. I need you... I need you.”_

_Draco’s pleading seemed to have the desired effect, as the fingers withdrew and he heard Lincoln let out a soft moan as he ran slick fingers along his own erection. Lincoln stared down at Draco for a few seconds, something unreadable flashing through his eyes before lowering himself to lie down on top of him. Draco’s arms immediately moved to wrap around Lincoln’s back, pulling him close. He gasped as he felt the hard heat of Lincoln’s cock pushing into him, stretching him much wider than Blaise ever had. His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into the soft flesh of Lincoln’s shoulders as waves of pleasure and pain crashed through him, so intimately connected that Draco could not distinguish between the two. Draco whined when Lincoln stilled, but was swiftly hushed by a hungry mouth claiming his. Their tongues brushed together, battling for supremacy before Draco tightened his legs around Lincoln’s waist, indicating it was alright to start moving. Lincoln wasted no time, pulling out and thrusting back in with such force Draco slid up the bed a bit. One hand came up automatically, resting against the headboard to prevent him from hitting his head as he smiled and held on, allowing himself to enjoy the ride as Lincoln took him higher and higher. It was not long before Draco was dancing dangerously close to the edge, his hips stuttering on their own._

_“Link,” he moaned. “I can’t... hold...”_

_“Don’t,” came the grunted response. It was all Draco needed to hear._

Draco moaned aloud as he reached his climax, shooting hot streams of cum all over his boxers and the sheet beneath him. His hips jerked over and over as he bit down into the pillow he held in his arms, his fingers clenched so tight they were beginning to cramp. Unwilling to allow the feeling to slip away, he ground his hips into the mattress, receiving little jolts of pleasure through his stomach. 

Only the sure knowledge that his mother would send the house-elves in to rouse him out of bed if he lazed there too long was enough to prevent Draco from staying exactly where he was for the next few hours, fantasising about his new boyfriend. Because that is what he was fairly certain Lincoln was becoming: his new boyfriend. The thought sent shivers up his spine as he rolled over, casting a wandless cleansing charm over his sheets and boxers. “I like you because you’re different.” That is what Lincoln had told him two nights ago and it had placed an almost goofy smile on Draco’s face whenever he thought about it. Which was often. It was the ‘because’ that was important to him: Lincoln liked him ‘because’ he was different, not ‘despite the fact that’ he was different, but _because_. Draco had repeated that part over and over to himself over the course of the past two days, smiling each time it had run through his mind. He was also certain that Lincoln had seen his Dark Mark, but he had not even flinched as Draco had expected. Was it possible after everything that had happened that he had managed to find someone who could accept him for who he was and not his money or influence? It definitely seemed possible, as Draco had offered Lincoln an out and had been told in no uncertain terms that he was welcome into Lincoln’s life. And the kiss they had ended the night with; oh sweet Merlin, could that man kiss! Just the memory had the ability to curl Draco’s toes. A soft tapping at his door dragged Draco unwillingly out of his memories.

“Master Draco? Mistress Narcissa sent Binky in to see if you is getting up today?”

Draco had to hold back a snigger at Binky’s unfortunate wording, before throwing the covers back and swinging his legs off the side of the bed. “Tell her I’m up, Binky. I’ll be down to breakfast as soon as I’m showered.”

“Yes Sir, Master Draco, Sir.” She popped back down to wherever Narcissa was in the Manor, leaving Draco to his thoughts again.

Another smile creased across his lips as his thoughts travelled to his plans for the day. Lincoln was working all week, but had managed to get 1 ½ hours of free time at lunch today, so Draco had told him to meet him at a park just a short distance from Purge and Dowse, the entrance to St. Mungo’s. Draco had not asked exactly what Lincoln’s specialty was, but knew that he was the head of his team of Healers and that the reason the team existed was because Lucius had donated not only a large sum of money, but another wing for the hospital as well. His wandering eyes landed on the jeans and t-shirt he planned on wearing that day, huffing out an almost-laugh at the reaction the jeans had received when he had tried them on. He really had not thought that they looked that good, but the strong arms wrapped around him and the hard body pressed against his back had changed his mind. If that was the reaction Lincoln had to seeing him in the horrid things, then he would just have to wear them more often.

*~*

“Link, hey Link! Wait up for a second will you?”

Lincoln groaned as he heard Adrian Taylor’s voice trailing down the street after him. With the kind of rotten week he had been having at work, Adrian was really the last person Lincoln wanted to see. He had managed to get out on time and had just been about to walk the few blocks to meet Draco, who had been very mysterious about what they were going to be doing. Having to put up with listening to Adrian would cut into his time with Draco and that would just increase his foul mood. He considered pretending not to have heard him, but decided that would just make Adrian follow along behind him for the rest of the way to the park.

“What do you want Adrian?” Lincoln paused long enough for the shorter man to catch up, but continued walking the second he had.

He had known Adrian since he was a child, having gone to the same privately-run school together, where most of the Wood Elves were sent instead of Hogwarts so they did not have to utilise glamours. Adrian had been an unpleasant child and was even worse as an adult. He had grown into quite an attractive man: curly, light brown hair that fell to his shoulders; big, pale blue eyes; a nicely toned body that he showed off with tight clothing; and to top it all off, a natural grace that made his every move look like he was dancing. Lincoln had always considered it a shame he had the personality of a hormonal billy goat, as it was a lot of wasted potential when you also factored his intelligence into the equation. He also felt incredibly sorry for whoever turned out to be Adrian’s mate when he finally managed to claim someone, as that meant they would be stuck with him for at least three months, to see if they could have a chance at sealing their bond. Holding back a shudder at the thought, Lincoln turned to face Adrian as they came to the edge of the park where he was to meet Draco.

“What were you doing with that pretty-boy wizard the other night?”

Lincoln froze, anger coursing through him at Adrian’s audacity. “Why should you care what I’m doing with him?”

“He’s not one of us, Link. You know you can’t choose who you can be with: you have to wait to be claimed, just like the rest of the dominants,” Adrian’s arms crossed across his chest as a smug smile fell into place on his lips. “Not that it looks likely that you’ll ever be claimed at this point...”

Adrian’s snide words were cut off as Lincoln slammed him up against the trunk of a tree, his arm coming up to press against his windpipe. “Are _you_ claiming me?”

“What? Get the fuck off of me!” Adrian struggled, but Lincoln had a decisive height and weight advantage and knew exactly how to use it to prevent him from leaving.

“Are. You. Claiming. Me?” Lincoln repeated slowly, as though Adrian were an idiot.

“No, you fucking psychotic, now get off me!” Adrian pushed ineffectively against Lincoln’s chest, a snarl marring his handsome features.

“You have no claim over me whatsoever, bond or otherwise. That means you have no say in my life at all. I will do what and _who_ ever I want and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.” Lincoln released some of the pressure on Adrian’s throat, just enough to allow him to breathe properly.

“He can _never_ be a proper mate for you,” Adrian sneered, allowing his glamour to drop for a fraction of a second, giving Lincoln a glimpse of his glowing blue eyes and pointed ears as he trailed a finger along the side of Lincoln’s face. “Pure-blood wizards can only disappoint someone like you.”

Completely losing the tiny little bit of control he had over his temper, Lincoln slammed Adrian’s head back against the tree trunk hard enough so that the other Elf must have seen stars for a few seconds. “You’re going to stay away from him, or you’ll answer to me, do you understand?” He waited until Adrian had nodded his head, unable to speak due to the pressure Lincoln was once again putting on his windpipe. “Good. Then kindly leave me to my _disappointment._ ”

Lincoln spun on his heel and stalked off towards the entrance to the park, his jaw clenched in anger. He had known that Adrian held certain prejudices against dominant Elves who took up with so-called “normal” witches and wizards, but this was the first time he had experienced it firsthand. Adrian was two years younger than Lincoln, so they had only really got to know each other over the past five years, after Lincoln had moved to London. He had just finished his apprenticeship with his Healer mentor when Adrian had shown up as a first year apprentice, wide-eyed and asking for guidance around London. Because Lincoln had been living in London for a while by then, he had offered to show him around and introduce him to others he could make friends with. It had only taken a fortnight before Lincoln had grown sick of Adrian’s bullshit. That had been just under five years ago now and Lincoln had only grown more and more disgusted with the man Adrian had turned out to be. Adrian had, thankfully, specialised in Wood Elf physiology and moved permanently back to his clan in Newcastle, but Lincoln still had to put up with him every weekend and sometimes during the week when, like today, he had apparently decided to come to London to make his life difficult.

Forcing the thoughts of Adrian out of his mind proved to be a little harder than expected, due to the rolling waves of anger tensing his muscles. He paused just outside the entrance to the park and pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that it probably would not help but having to try anyway: there was no point in ruining Draco’s day with his shitty mood. It was the idea of Draco waiting for him that helped to clear his mind. Lincoln had begun to crave the anticipation that built up in between the days he saw Draco. His fingers flexed with the expectation of being able to curl through the soft fabric of Draco’s shirt, feeling the warmth spreading through to him as he held him close. He knew he was treading a dangerous path, allowing himself to become so lost in the thoughts of Draco so early on, but he had never been in the habit of denying himself something he craved and ‘craving’ is exactly how he would describe his feelings for Draco right at that particular moment.

*~*

Draco gasped as he was spun around and pulled into a bruising kiss. His instinct to reach for his wand was quashed as Lincoln’s earthy scent washed over him and he relaxed into the embrace, wrapping his arms around Lincoln’s broad shoulders. He returned the kiss enthusiastically, meeting Lincoln’s apparent desperation with his own, wanting to brand the other man as his own. Draco allowed his hands to travel down along Lincoln’s back, massaging the tense muscles he found there, earning himself a quiet moan. The kiss began to soften as the tension drained out of Lincoln’s stance and his hands began to wander, pulling Draco in close to him. Draco’s head swam when one of those strong hands grabbed his arse and squeezed. He willed his body to not react, not while they were in such a public place and wished he could just apparate them both back to his suite in the Manor. Uncalled-for flashes from the dream he had had that morning flittered through his mind and he knew that he was going to have to break the kiss before he embarrassed himself in public. Lincoln’s hands tightened on the small of Draco’s back as their lips parted, refusing to allow him to step back. Draco grinned, enjoying the sensation of having someone want him so obviously.

“Sorry,” Lincoln murmured a little breathlessly. “You’ve been the brightest spot in an incredibly rough week.”

“Don’t ever apologise for kissing me,” Draco responded automatically. “Especially like that.” Warmth spread through him as Lincoln’s quiet laugh vibrated through his chest.

“Do you really want to leave me an opening like that? You may come to regret it.” He paused, grinning wide as he took a deep breath. “Is that... barbeque? Oh, my God, you’ve got food.”

Draco was unable to hold back the delighted laugh that bubbled out of him as Lincoln released him and fell to his knees in front of the picnic basket Draco had brought. “Of course I’ve got food: I couldn’t invite you to lunch and show up empty-handed.”

He gave a small squeak as Lincoln paused in his exploration of the basket to pull him down onto the rug beside him, their lips connecting again briefly. “Continue to feed me and I may just have to keep you forever.”

Draco smiled properly as he settled back onto the opposite side of the picnic rug. A little voice in the back of his mind was telling him that he really would not mind Lincoln keeping him forever, especially if it meant he got to see that smile every day. Giving himself a mental shake, he ran his eyes over Lincoln’s form, slight surprise running through him at the difference his work clothes made. He had thought that the two other times he had seen him had been the extremes: the first night was formal robes; the second had been casual and comfortable. Obviously he knew that Healers wore light green robes, but he had never imagined what was underneath. The deep red of Lincoln’s shirt lent his dark blond hair an auburn tint and the black trousers... _That settles it: it’s not food I want right now._

“Enjoying the view?” Draco blinked as Lincoln handed him a plate with a smirk.

“Must say I am,” he responded with a matching smirk, refusing to be embarrassed at being caught perving but also refusing to give himself away that easily. “Why else would I have chosen such a beautiful place, if not for the views?”

Lincoln paused in his mission to demolish the containers of food to glance around the park. Turning to watch the ducks floating on the pond behind him gave Draco a particularly nice view, which Lincoln _must_ have known as he was smirking again when he turned back. “Don’t tell me I’ve found myself a duck fancier?”

“Of course not,” Draco scoffed as he began piling food on his plate. “I was referring to the goose over there that looks like it’d like to take a bite of that fine arse of yours.” He popped the bit of tomato Lincoln threw at him into his mouth and grinned.

“Right, point taken: don’t bait a Malfoy,” Lincoln murmured as he sat down on the rug properly.

Draco let that one slide, smiling happily to himself as he watched Lincoln digging hungrily into the food. “You know, I didn’t really believe that old cliché that Healers don’t know how to feed themselves properly until today.”

Lincoln snorted and mock-glared at him, responding between alternating bites of salad and chicken. “It’s not that we don’t know how. You just... lose track of time, or are simply too busy, I guess. Most days it just doesn’t register that the reason I’m feeling strange is because of a lack of food. And yes, before you say it, I know it should because that’s one of the basics, but it really doesn’t. I start at 5 a.m. usually and don’t finish until 3 or 4 with all the extra bits of paperwork.” He shrugged as he reached for a bottle of water. “12 hours without food won’t kill you.”

“Well, we might just have to make this a regular meeting then,” Draco replied without thinking, slightly horrified at how nonchalant Lincoln was being about this. Eyes fixed on his own plate as they were, he did not realise that Lincoln had moved closer until he was drawn into a soft kiss again.

“Making a bid at me keeping you forever?” The whispered words combined with the intense look in those violet eyes to steal Draco’s breath away. “Not that I’d complain if you were.”

That was enough to turn Draco flaming red from his chest to the roots of his hair. He ducked his head, wishing for once that he had decided to grow his hair like his father so he had something to hide behind. Glancing up once he had himself back under control, Draco found Lincoln apparently occupied with the end of his meal. He was oddly thankful for the reprieve Lincoln had offered him, as it was highly unusual for Draco to find himself out of his depth when it came to any kind of social interaction; flirting in particular. Not that it had been particularly difficult to pull someone like Pansy, who had been hinting at him since their fourth year that she wanted something more from him than help with her Potions homework, but he had thought himself above becoming flustered like that when faced with a hot man hitting on him. They passed the rest of the meal speaking only of trivialities, which Draco was thankful for, considering his newly discovered habit of turning beet red when their conversation turned even slightly flirtatious. It had not been such a problem the last time they had been together, as it had mostly been dark, so he could hide his flaming cheeks easier, but out here in the bright June sun that was damn near impossible.

He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts as they cleared the containers away. Knowing they had about 45 minutes left, he lay down on his back, using his folded coat as a pillow and was pleasantly surprised when Lincoln lay down with him, his head coming to rest on Draco’s stomach. Draco trailed his left hand down to thread one of the loose dreadlocks through his fingers, his right landing across Lincoln’s chest. Warmth rushed through him when he heard a contented sigh from Lincoln.

“Link.”

“Mmm?”

“That’s what they were all calling you the other night.” Draco had decided that he definitely liked the sound of the nickname; that it suited him perfectly.

“Yes, well, you see it’s what’s called a nickname,” Lincoln replied with slight sarcasm. Draco could see a smile playing at the edge of his mouth as he watched it form the words. “That’s a shortened version of my name –”

The words were cut off with a laugh when Draco gave the dreadlock in his fingers a small tug. He stayed quiet for a few minutes before trying again. “Link?”

“You actually talking to me this time, or just testing it out?”

“Sarcasm is unbecoming of an intelligent mind,” Draco retorted, glad for once that he could quote his father almost word-for-word.

There was silence for a few seconds before Link responded quietly. “You think I’m intelligent?”

“Of course I do,” Draco replied, just as quietly, sensing that he had hit on a sensitive subject, although why a Healer would not believe that simple statement was beyond him. “Since you obviously are.”

Link’s hands moved to sandwich Draco’s right hand in between his, a small smile on his lips. “What’d you want to know?”

“Your specialty. I mean, I know you’re the head of whatever-it-is, but what _is_ the ‘whatever’?” The smile broadened at Draco’s words, sending warmth shooting through him again.

“I’m a paediatrician. Our team specialises in severe trauma.”

Draco tensed at the words, knowing exactly the kind of trauma Link’s team would have had to have dealt with recently. He took a deep breath, not wanting to talk about it, but having to know anyway. “You would have seen... seen the – uh – the casualties from, from Hogwarts then?”

The strong, steady hands encircling his tightened as he stuttered out the question, but Link stayed where he was, offering comfort, but not overwhelming him, which he was thankful for. The silence stretched between them, Link obviously waiting for something, but Draco was unsure what. He spoke again once Draco’s heart rate had calmed a little, leading him to wonder if that was why Link had paused: to give Draco time to compose himself before answering.

“We only got the worst of the worst: the hopeless causes. We saw Acromantula bites, severe burns, crush victims and one girl who had been attacked by a werewolf. She was about your age; had some kind of flower name?”

“Lavender Brown,” Draco breathed in surprise. “Did she...?”

“She survived, although she’ll need the wolf’s bane potion every month from now on. Nice girl, but a bit ditsy for my taste.”

Helpless laughter bubbled up from deep inside Draco at Link’s words. He had heard about the enthusiasm Lavender had put into catching the Weasel during their sixth year and to hear Link speak of her not being ‘his taste’ was almost too much to handle. Judging by what they had spoken about over the past few days, Draco knew that Link was about as gay as they came, so imagining him with Lavender...

“Sorry,” he gasped when Link stared up at him with raised eyebrows. “But I would assume she’s also slightly too ‘female’ for your tastes as well.”

Releasing the hand he held on his chest, Link turned and slowly slid up so that he was supporting his weight on his elbows above Draco. A wicked smile spread across his lips at Draco’s small intake of breath as he leant down, pausing just before their lips connected.

“No, you’re much more my type,” he whispered, sparking a hunger in Draco that had nothing to do with food.

Lifting his head to taste Link’s lips, Draco let out a soft sigh of contentment as desire flooded through him. Shivers rocked his body as he felt a hand trailing down his side to come to rest on his hip. This was dangerous and he knew it: he wanted Link too desperately to be doing this kind of thing in public. His hands came up anyway, one resting on Link’s waist, the other moving to cup his face. Draco did not want the kiss to end – or else he wanted it to end in a way that they could not indulge in in public – but he knew that they would have to stop soon. Not only because he was getting way too worked up, but because Link was due back at work.

“Link,” he gasped out, the word sounding much more breathy than he had intended.

“Come to my place Saturday night,” Link replied. He brushed their lips together briefly one more time before moving into a kneeling position, staring intensely at Draco as he attempted to compose himself again. “I’ll cook.”

“You can cook?”

“No,” came the laughing reply as Link stood. “I tend to burn or otherwise ruin everything other than my mother’s recipe for Sheppard’s pie. But she drummed that into my head before I left for the big, bad world and I haven’t managed to forget it yet.”

Draco grinned as he stood and closed the gap between them again. He placed a chaste kiss on Link’s lips, unwilling to let him go just yet. “Saturday night?”

“Mmm.” Link’s eyes fluttered open to reveal wide-blown pupils. “You are too addictive for my mental health.”

“I’m gonna take that as a compliment,” Draco grinned as he released the grip he had on Link’s waist.

Link took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he backed away. “Saturday night. 7 o’clock.”

Draco’s grin widened as he sank back down onto the rug. _Saturday night._ Those two little words had never held such promise.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've translated the little bit of Welsh in here as well as possible, but on the off-chance that there's someone who reads this who speaks it: if there's any mistakes please let me know!

Flexing his fingers in an attempt to stop them from trembling, Draco nibbled on his bottom lip as he made his way through the darkening street towards Link’s London flat. He lived in muggle London, so Draco had decided it was best that he walk from the Leaky rather than Apparate. Walking also had the added bonus of allowing Draco time to cool down in the evening air, because the thoughts of what he was expecting to happen tonight had had him all hot and bothered for the past two days. He had discovered that Link was the perfect fantasy material: his kisses, that intoxicating smell that drifted up from his collar, the feel of that firm body pressed close to him. It had been a good thing that he had not started at Hogwarts just yet, as over the past two days his tendency to blush whenever he thought of Link had been taken over by a reaction that he would have struggled to cover up in decent company.

“Merlin’s balls, Draco: get a grip,” he muttered as his thoughts drifted into a risky area once again.

Pausing just outside the door to Link’s flat, Draco closed his eyes and took calming breaths, wondering how on Earth he was going to make it through tea without giving in to his baser instincts and simply jumping him over the table. _Oh, this is ridiculous! It’s only been..._ Frowning slightly as he tried to remember the last time he had come from any stimulation that came from someone other than himself, Draco let out a frustrated sigh. It had been well over a year: Blaise had moved on before the Christmas holidays of their sixth year, stating that Draco was too distracted to pay much attention to him. This had been true, as Draco had been using him as stress relief; not that Draco would ever admit that to him.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts, he knocked on the door before his mind could wander again. It only took Link about half a minute to answer, but it felt like an eternity to Draco, who could not hear any noises from the other side of the door. He almost jumped out of his skin as the door swung open silently to reveal Link smiling at him. Draco sucked in an appreciative breath as he took in the sight before him: Link’s usually dancing violet eyes were dilating almost black as they ran slowly down Draco’s body, sending lust shooting through him.

“Link?” Draco took a small step forward, biting down on his bottom lip reflexively.

Draco could not hold back the small gasp he let out as Link curled his fingers into the front of his shirt and pulled him into the small entrance way of the flat. The kiss that followed wiped every rational thought from Draco’s mind. His world narrowed down to two things: Link in his arms and the white-hot desire setting his nerve endings on fire. His arms tightened around Link’s shoulders, pulling him closer as he allowed himself to become lost in the sensations.

_Yes! Wantneedyesyesyes!_

He was vaguely aware that they were moving – that Link was taking him further into the hallway – then the thump and slam came that meant that Link had kicked the door closed behind them, without breaking the kiss. Draco grinned as he pressed closer still, needing to be as close to the body he had been fantasising about for the entire week as he could get. Link’s hands were slowly making their way down Draco’s back underneath his coat, pulling the shirt from his jeans as they went. There was absolutely nothing Draco could have done to prevent the desperate moan from escaping from him as those strong hands gripped his arse and pulled him closer, allowing him to feel the evidence of Link’s desire for him pressing into his hip.

“Please say you’re not hungry,” Link gasped as he moved back slightly.

“Not for food,” Draco managed to reply through the fog of lust clouding his mind.

Link let out a sound that was part-moan, part-growl as he hoisted Draco up to wrap his legs around his waist. Draco hooked his ankles together, holding himself in place as he leant down to claim Link’s lips again. They moved again, this time to press Draco’s back against a wall or a door; he really could not summon the brainpower to care which one. Using his legs to balance, Draco shrugged out of the coat as Link’s fingers flew down the buttons on his shirt, leaving them both piled on the floor at their feet. Draco shivered as his bare back hit the cool wood behind him. One of Link’s hands came back to support Draco’s weight; he had no idea where the other was until the wood gave way behind him.

“You’re sure?”

Draco whimpered at the lust-laden words. Tightening his legs around Link’s waist, he pulled himself closer, brushing his thumbs over Link’s cheekbones. “Mmhm; don’t stop.”

It only took three quick strides before Draco was being lowered onto a soft blanket on the bed. He pulled Link down on top of him, revelling in the feeling of having him pressed so close. Their lips connected again as Draco rocked his hips in an attempt to get the friction he was craving. Link’s quiet laugh vibrated through Draco’s chest as he broke the kiss, trailing his lips down Draco’s throat. Draco gasped and squirmed as he felt Link’s hands slowly moving down his sides in line with the lips blazing a trail down the centre of his chest. He knew that Link would be able to feel the force of his rapidly beating heart through his breastbone and the wicked grin Link shot him confirmed it. The moan Draco let out when he felt his fly being unzipped was completely involuntary and earned him another grin, which sent his heart fluttering again. He expected Link to strip him, roll him over and just start going for it, as Blaise always had; what he did not expect was for Link to pause to take the time to just look at him after he had him naked.

“Link..? What –”

“Shh, Dray; it’s alright. Just needed to confirm my fantasies were correct,” Link smirked, trailing his fingers along Draco’s calves.

Draco had no time to object to the mutilation of his name as Link lowered himself to begin slowly nibbling up one of his thighs. He was having issues holding onto his control, as he and Blaise had only ever had sex, never anything else: the sensations Link was causing to rush through Draco’s body were entirely new. The second Link’s hot mouth reached his tight sac, Draco panicked.

“No, wait, I –”

Link released him immediately; even his hands left their positions at Draco’s hips. “‘No’? We can stop if you want.”

“No, not _no_ , not like that, I...” Draco babbled. Sighing, he raised his hands to mash the heels into his eyes, fighting against the blush creeping across his cheeks. “I’ve never...”

“You’ve never had a blowjob?”

Draco could not place the tone in Link’s voice; he only knew that it was not mocking. He shook his head, hands still jammed into his eyes to cover the embarrassment he felt at this perceived fault. “No.”

“Well then, I’ll just have to make it a good one.”

Draco’s hands flew down from his eyes, which were widening with surprise. “You’ll... what?”

“You’re so cute when you’re confused,” Link grinned as he moved to hover above Draco, still not touching him. “Draco, I don’t care that you’ve never had a blowjob. Hell, I wouldn’t care if you were a proper virgin. What I do care about right at this moment is making this good for you, if you’ll let me.”

“‘If I’ll let you’? You don’t honestly think I’d be dumb enough to turn that down, do you?”

Link’s reply was swallowed by Draco dragging him down into a soft kiss. Nerves shot through him as Link’s hands ran up his sides, kneading his tense muscles. The kiss continued until Draco found himself relaxing under Link’s touch, his worry over his lack of experience in this one area slowly draining away. He was so into the kiss that he did not even tense when Link leant over and grabbed a container of lube from the bedside drawers. Link left it sitting harmlessly on the covers of the bed beside them as he slowly trailed hot kisses down Draco’s chest again.

“You’re _absolutely certain?_ Because if you don’t want to...” The fire behind Link’s violet eyes both encouraged and reassured Draco, leading to him nodding even before Link had finished what he was saying. “Ok then, if you’re sure.”

That last was tinged with amusement as he lowered his lips back to Draco’s navel, where he was sending currents of electricity shooting straight to Draco’s throbbing cock. His tongue dipped in one more time before he moved down, resuming his nibbling of Draco’s thighs. Draco had no idea of what to expect, but having Link take his sac into his mouth and gently tug it away from his body, delaying his orgasm for a few more minutes, was nowhere near the top of the list. He let out a deep moan as his head swam with delirious pleasure. The soft chuckle Link gave vibrated straight through Draco’s body, overloading his system.

“ _Fuckfuckfuck_ , I... I need...”

Draco’s words trailed out into a whimper as Link released his sac. He did not have to wait long before the rough side of Link’s tongue was swiped up the thick vein running along his achingly hard cock. He knew that if he continued dancing so dangerously close to the edge that he would not last very long and was thankful when he felt Link’s fingers wrap around the base of his cock. His other hand landed on Draco’s hip, to keep him in place.

“‘Need’?” Link’s voice had turned deep and rough with desire, causing Draco to whimper with longing.

“ _You_ ,” he gasped. “Now.”

“Hmm,” Link grinned. “Like this?”

Draco let out a string of creative expletives as Link swallowed him whole. This was nothing like he had imagined. Sure, he had fantasised about what it would be like to have his prick engulfed by someone else’s mouth, but _this_... This was so much more. Link’s tongue was working away at the underside of his cock, sending unbelievably sharp jabs of lust lancing through him. Draco closed his eyes and allowed his back to arch, trying to do... _something_. He honestly had no idea what it was he was doing; he was just reacting on instinct right at that moment. Link swallowed around him, creating a vacuum around his throbbing cock, causing Draco to almost sob with the need to come.

“Please,” was all he could manage to pant out. “Please.”

Link chuckled again as he began to raise his head, sucking harder as he replaced his mouth with lubed-up fingers. Draco’s hips jerked of their own accord now that there was nothing to restrain him, attempting to get as much friction as possible. The hand running slowly up and down his shaft added a small twist as Link’s mouth left him with a final swipe along his head.

“Ready?”

Draco could only nod frantically, his eyes squeezed shut tight. If he was to be honest, he had been ready for this from the first night they met, as that had been when this desperate need had begun. His nerves were now singing with frantic desire caused by this wonderful, amazing, _sexy_ man whom Draco was fairly certain must be laughing at his inability to speak at the moment.

“Come for me then,” Link whispered as his mouth closed around the head of Draco’s rapidly leaking cock and his fingers let their grip on the base go.

Draco found his release with an incoherent moan. He could feel Link swallowing frantically around him as his body spasmed over and over again, his slicked-up hand working along the shaft of Draco’s pulsing cock. Link managed to swallow all of him down, although how, Draco had no idea. Shivers ran down his spine as Link licked him clean, then slowly made his way up his torso, murmuring something Draco could barely hear.

“... Dray... Dray... Dray... Dray...” It sounded almost as though Link were chanting the nickname he had given Draco that evening. “You have no idea how unbelievably _hot_ you are like this.”

Draco, still unable to reply in anything even vaguely resembling English as he attempted to catch his breath, raised leaden arms to pull him down into a kiss. The salty-bitter taste of himself on Link’s tongue would have made him hard again if he had not just come so incredibly hard a few seconds before. As it was, he was unsure if he would be able to function as a normal human being for the rest of the night – possibly even for the rest of the weekend – as it felt as though Link had sucked his soul out through his cock. Draco found himself marvelling at the extent of Link’s control, as he could feel his denim-clad cock pressing against his thigh. The disparity between their states of undress suddenly hit Draco and he was struck by the desire to see Link just as naked as he was. Tugging at the shoulders of the t-shirt Link still wore, he let out an irritated noise, breaking the kiss as he did.

“You’re too... _dressed_ ,” he mumbled in frustration.

“Do something about it then,” Link responded with a smirk before lowering his head to nibble at Draco’s collarbone.

Taking his advice, Draco pushed against the bed with his foot, flipping them over so he sat straddled across Link’s hips. Sliding his hands under the bottom of the shirt, he began to lift it slowly, trailing his fingertips along the heated skin beneath. Unable to resist tasting the gradually revealed skin, Draco wriggled down Link’s body, earning himself a low moan. He grinned up at Link as he licked a stripe up to his exposed navel. Following his instincts, Draco kneaded his fingers into Link’s sides as they travelled upwards, smiling as he felt him shiver. By the time Draco was ready to pull the shirt off, Link was panting beneath him, his hands gripping tightly onto Draco’s hips.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Link huffed out, more breath than voice.

“Hush, you,” Draco grinned. “Let me play.”

He sat back, straddling Link’s hips again. It seemed that his dream had been fairly accurate. Link was solidly-built – something Draco could tell that he had worked hard at – with nicely tanned skin that just invited him to lean in and taste every inch of it. Following the urge, he latched onto a nipple, receiving a groan in response. His hands trailed down Link’s stomach to unbutton the fly on his jeans and he was sure he felt Link trying to restrain the jerking of his hips as Draco’s fingers brushed against him. Unable to resist any longer, Draco sat up, hooked his fingers beneath the waistband of the jeans and pulled them slowly down, enjoying the hiss of breath Link gave as he stared down at him. This time Draco had to admit that his dream version of Link had been pretty damn accurate: he did not have Blaise’s length, but he was fairly certain it was going to hurt when they were finally together properly. Taking a deep breath as he settled himself in between Link’s legs, Draco let it out in a puff. Shock ran through him when Link gasped.

“If you want to tease me like that, this won’t last very long.”

Draco grinned as he moved closer and breathed Link’s scent, brushing his lips up his shaft. One hand reached for the lube as the other angled Link’s cock towards his mouth. His tongue flicked out to taste the leaking pre-cum trailing downwards, humming in pleasure at the taste. It was not what he had expected, but considering the only comparison he had was his own on Link’s tongue a few minutes before, he figured it was not that bad. Nothing he could not get used to, anyway. Swirling his tongue around the head earned him a deep moan. He glanced up at Link as he drew him into his mouth and sucked gently, his lubed-up hand circling around the base. Link’s head was thrown back, his hands clenched into the sheets on either side of him and his breaths were coming in harsh gasps. He was – in a word – _beautiful_. Draco hummed in pleasure again as he sucked Link’s length into his mouth, taking as much as he could without choking. He ran his lips down to meet his fist and swirled his tongue, remembering how amazing it felt.

“Dray... annwyll Dduw!”

Draco was unable to hold back the chuckle that burst forth as Link switched to Welsh. He moved his free hand down to swirl Link’s balls around, earning himself another groan. Link appeared to be trying to say something, but all that was coming out was a jumbled mix of consonants. Draco raised his head, his hands still working away. He started in surprise as Link’s hands landed in his hair. He only just managed not to bite down, but it was a close thing. Link’s fingers ran up behind his ears, trailing over the tops, almost in a caress. It was a little strange, but felt good on his heated skin anyway. He tongued the now rapidly leaking slit in front of him as his hands worked, adding a twist as he reached the tip of Link’s cock.

“Dray...”

Link’s voice now held a tone of warning, which Draco worked out just in time to catch the shooting spurts of cum rushing forth. Link’s back arched and he moaned deep in his throat as he shot jet after jet of cum into Draco’s waiting mouth. He was unable to swallow all of it, which he did not find surprising, as it was his first time, and he cast a cleaning charm before moving back up to rest beside Link. He watched his chest rising and falling rapidly for a few seconds before Link reached for him, moving him so he was half lying on his chest. Draco sighed with contentment as Link kissed him softly.

*~*

“You speak Welsh.”

Lincoln, still floating happily in his afterglow, forced his eyes open, staring dumbly up at the ceiling of his bedroom. His blood had stopped pounding in his ears, making it much easier for him to hear what Draco had said, but it did not necessarily follow that the words registered on any level in his mushy-feeling brain. He had had every intention of being on his best behaviour at the start of the night; of actually keeping his hands to himself for once. Those good intentions had, of course, flown merrily out the front door the second he had opened it for Draco, apparently taking his higher brain functions with them. He knew, on some level, that he should have known that this was going to happen, as he had had such a difficult time keeping his hands – and lips – off Draco on Thursday afternoon.

“You back with me?”

Lincoln tightened his grip around Draco’s waist as his voice finally managed to penetrate the thick fog surrounding his mind. Glancing down, he saw amusement glinting back at him from grey eyes turned stormy in the now mostly dark room. Raising a hand to rub against his eyes, Lincoln gave a sheepish grin.

“How long was I out for?”

“About two hours.” There was a definite tone of amusement to Draco’s voice.

“Two hours, really?” Lincoln glanced over to the alarm clock on his bedside table, seeing the red numbers glowing 9:30 at him. Huffing out a laugh that sounded tired even to his ears, he offered Draco a smile. “Sorry, I uh...”

“Don’t be,” Draco smirked back at him. “I take it as a compliment.” A small flash of the Malfoy arrogance crossed Draco’s features before he smiled properly.

“You really should,” Lincoln murmured as he tilted Draco’s face up so he could kiss him softly.

This received a quiet hum of pleasure from Draco, who moved up the bed a little to make the angle less awkward. Lincoln knew that they were probably both too exhausted for the kiss to turn into anything more: Draco’s hands were nowhere near as frantic as they had been during the week, or even earlier in the night and Lincoln himself was more than satisfied. He therefore allowed one of his hands to wander aimlessly along Draco’s chest without expectation. His mind drifted again, thinking about nothing in particular until Draco’s words from a few minutes before came back to him.

“How did you know I speak Welsh?”

Draco looked a little stunned at the sudden question but gathered himself quickly. “Well, it’s a little bit of a giveaway when you start actually speaking it.”

“I was speaking...”

“Welsh, yes. Unless you speak something else that sounds like it. Don’t tell me you didn’t know,” Draco was grinning wide at him again.

“I, um, no?” Lincoln could hear the confusion in his voice, his brain still scrambling to catch up to the conversation. He gave up after a few seconds, simply deciding to accept Draco’s word for it. “Yes, I speak Welsh. My grandmother taught all three of us kids when we were children.”

“It’s pretty.”

Lincoln stared down at Draco, who had started nibbling on his collarbone. “‘Pretty’?”

“Mmm, sexy even,” Draco grinned as he moved to straddle Lincoln’s hips. “Especially coming from you. Come on; I’m hungry and you promised me food.”

Lincoln watched in shock as Draco slid off the bed, grabbed his jeans and flounced out of the room, apparently unashamed of his nakedness. _Not that he has anything to be ashamed of_ , he thought as he dragged himself up out of his warm bed, groaning as his feet hit the cold floor. He could hear Draco padding around in the living room and could not help the smile that tugged at his lips as he dressed again. He leant against the bedroom doorframe to watch Draco silently as he examined an old acoustic guitar Lincoln had propped in the corner of the room. He had learned to play when he was a child, simply because the noise annoyed his sisters and had found it useful as an adult as a point of conversation, if nothing else. Draco moved on, frowning at the collection of videotapes and cd’s Lincoln had piled in an old cabinet, causing Lincoln to smile. It had never really occurred to him that Draco would not be used to seeing muggle things displayed around the house, especially the kind that run off electricity. Draco did not linger over them long, because he had apparently spotted a framed picture of Lincoln with his sisters, taken at his nephew’s birthday earlier that year. He gingerly picked the picture up, running his fingers over the frame.

“I thought you said you were hungry,” Lincoln interrupted as Draco placed the frame back down.

“Are those your sisters?” Lincoln could see curiosity glint in his grey eyes as Draco made his way slowly back towards him.

“They’re both married, so wipe those thoughts out of your mind right now.” He grinned as Draco sighed dramatically before draping his arms over Lincoln’s shoulders.

“And here I was thinking I could just move onto one of them after you get sick of me. They’re just as pretty as you are, after all.” He leant in to brush their lips together in a chaste kiss. “Come on, you don’t eat anywhere near as often as you should. You’ve got to start looking after yourself better.”

Lincoln smiled properly as he allowed Draco to drag him towards the kitchen at the back of his small flat. He had never dated anyone who did not have Wood Elf blood before and was therefore unused to being looked after by his partners, as they had all been submissive Elves who naturally expected him to be the strong, protective one in the relationship. Perhaps it would be a nice change to not have to worry about having to demonstrate that he could protect his mate. Perhaps the time he spent with Draco could finally allow him to relax a little; allow him to simply enjoy being the one to be cared for, for once.


	7. Chapter 7

_Dear Harry and Severus,_

_CONGRATULATIONS! I can’t believe I’m going to be an Aunt; this is so exciting! Harry, you have to remember that you cannot do as much work around the castle as you have been doing now that you’re pregnant. You don’t want to either harm the baby or exhaust yourself. There are probably many interesting books in the school library on male pregnancy that you could read so you know what to expect; I’ll take a look over here as well, in case they have something different. I have, of course, read a bit about male pregnancy, but I never thought I would have the chance to actually watch the development of the pregnancy; I’m sure it will be fascinating._

_We arrived safely in Sydney and I have already discovered that I really don’t like international Floo travel. All that spinning and having to guess when to step out at the end; it’s very stressful. Ron would never admit it, but I think he’s a little homesick already. Not that Sydney is a bad place at all, but the culture is so different! It’s the start of winter here now and everyone is walking around in big, thick coats and complaining about the cold, but it’s not that bad. The air smells different as well: very salty because of the ocean and a lot cleaner because there aren’t as many people crammed into the city as in London._

_Anyway, enough about the weather. We’ve made contact with the local wizarding community here and it looks like they could be a bit of use, but it will still probably take a long time to find mum and dad, because they came over here for a holiday, rather than to work. I know they always wanted to visit the rainforests in Queensland, as well as travel along the East coast and possibly go to the Gold Coast, but the problem will be finding them. We can’t necessarily ask the police to track them down, because if they get a message from the police saying that a daughter they don’t know they have is trying to get in touch with them, then that will probably get us in all sorts of trouble. We have some of the Muggle liaisons officers asking discreet questions both here and in Queensland, so hopefully they will be able to discover something for us soon._

_Ronald, of course, has discovered the local Quidditch teams. He has spent the past week trying to decide if he wants to “support an international team”, in his words. What one of the men at the international Floo terminal suggested was that he wanted another team to support when it becomes obvious that the Cannons are going to lose yet again. It really is amazing the different shades of red Ron can turn._

_We’ll probably be heading up to Queensland after we’ve exhausted all our options here for finding mum and dad, but I’ll write again to tell you where to write to._

_Love, Hermione._

_P.S. I’m finding a lot of interesting wizarding Heritage books over here that might be a bit of help with finding out where your Veela came from._

_Harry,_

_You’re pregnant?! Who even knew that that was possible? (Hermione’s just told me that she knew. Of bloody course she knew. She probably read about it in Hogwarts: A History!) So, you’ll be naming it after me, right?_

_We haven’t found out much about where Hermione’s parents could be, but we’ll find them. I mean, it can’t be that difficult, can it? (Now she’s telling me that Australia is at least 15 times the size of England.) Ok, so maybe it might be a little difficult. It’s not like we haven’t faced difficult before._

_So I’ve been looking at some of the Quidditch matches going on here and there are two teams that aren’t too bad. I might even consider supporting one of them during the international season. I’ll bring you some of the merchandise when we get back._

_Ron_

_P.S. The beaches here are pretty good, maybe we could all come back for a holiday sometime, huh?_

Harry smiled as the contents of the two letters he had received that morning ran through his mind. Ron and Hermione had left the afternoon of the Trials – two weeks previously – and Harry was surprised at how much he was missing having his two best friends with him, especially considering the news he and Sev had received the day after they had left. He had thought that because of the amount of time they had spent on the run together that it would be nice to have a bit of a break from each other for a while. The problem was that he had had his time apart from them and now wanted them back, but they were in another country. It took the owls a long time to deliver messages to another country – as Harry knew it would – in comparison to when they were flying around the same country. But then, he reconsidered, maybe it was a good thing that they have some time apart, considering how much of a third wheel Harry had felt at times when they had been together during the cleanup of the school. Besides that, he had Neville, Dean, Seamus and all the others who had come back to help rebuild. That is, when he could drag himself away from Sev and everything he offered.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts as he hit the final staircase that would take him into the Entrance Hall, Harry paused halfway down when Draco’s voice echoed back to him. He had taken over the group of Slytherins that had not been listening to Ron and Hermione before they left and had actually managed to get them to work, rather than just stand around doing whatever they wanted to. In fact, their little group had been one of the hardest working ones according to Dean, who had been working near them the past few days. Harry had been quite surprised to discover that Draco was able to control any of the Slytherins, as he had assumed that they would see him as some sort of traitor. Slowing his steps so he would not walk in on them, Harry listened carefully to what was being said.

“– but why should we, Malfoy? _Why_ should we have to keep trying to prove ourselves to the rest of the idiots here? If they want to claim that we’re all so-called “Dark Wizards” just because _some_ of our House went that way, why not let them think that?” The speaker was a small boy, probably one of the ones going into his fifth year, from what Harry could tell.

“Do you really want that stigma to follow you around for the rest of your life?” Harry could not see Draco, but his voice was calm, almost relaxing. “Because it will follow me. _This_ was not something I would have chosen for myself if I had had another option, but you know what? It serves as a reminder to me. A reminder that I can withstand anything anyone here throws at me. That I _have_ withstood so much worse than anything a bunch of students can do or say to me. None of you have done what I have done, so there is no reason for you to have to put up with the shit they’re throwing at you. Just make sure you don’t hit back.”

Harry did not have to be able to see Draco to know that he had just shown the group his Dark Mark. He had not known that the Slytherins were being bullied by the rest of the school and now that he did, there was no way he could allow it to continue. His mind raced with ideas of how they would be able to keep the younger students from having to put up with the prejudice of some of the others, running through where he knew his friends were working in the castle. The dungeons had taken the least amount of damage during the Battle, meaning that they had been repaired already, so he and Sev would be more than enough to keep the Slytherins safe when they were not working. It would be when they were working that would be the problem. He knew he could count on his friends when needed, as well as the ex-students who had volunteered their time to help. What he really needed to do was to run the ideas racing through his mind past Sev, as he should know what was happening to his students. Harry refocussed on the conversation below him as the higher-pitched voice of a girl sounded.

“So what you’re saying is that if we strike back at them, then that proves that we’re just as bad as they say we are. What do you want us to do then, just stand there and take it?”

“No, of course not,” Draco scoffed. “Come straight to one of the seventh- or eighth-years, or to the nearest Professor. It doesn’t matter which one; they’re all just as sick of all this fighting as the rest of them. And no, before any of you ask: that doesn't mean you’re a snitch. What it means is that you’re smart enough to know yourself. None of you were Death Eaters and neither were your parents, so there’s _absolutely_ no reason for you to have to put up with any of this.”

The group broke up then, the students moving into the Great Hall for lunch and Draco heading out to wherever it was he had lunch. He had left the grounds to eat both Monday and Wednesday, so it was unsurprising to Harry that he would leave that day – Friday – as well. Curiosity sparked in him as he slowly made his way down the rest of the stairs, but was washed away the second he sensed his mate near to him. He hurried down the rest of the steps, turned the corner and flung his arms around Sev’s neck.

“Did you hear that?” Harry asked as he leant into his mate’s embrace, enjoying the close contact.

“Indeed,” Sev mumbled into Harry’s hair, sending shivers down his spine.

“Did you know?”

Harry held his breath as the silence stretched between them. He could sense Sev struggling with something, but was unsure exactly what. It was at times like this that he really wished that he had a full bond with his mate, as he would be able to figure out what Sev was thinking much more easily if he could read all of his emotions. He pulled back to look up into Sev’s eyes, brushing his thumb across one of his cheekbones. Warmth washed through his stomach as Sev’s eyes closed and he leant slightly into the touch. Harry _loved_ that Sev felt secure enough with him now that he would allow the barriers he held up against everyone else to drop around him. Taking the opportunity offered to him, Harry ran his eyes over Sev’s face, pleasure pumping through his veins as Sev smiled slightly. He was just about to give in to the urge to pull his mate down into a kiss when Sev let out a small sigh and opened his eyes.

“No, I did not know. No one has mentioned anything to me about students being bullied.”

The sorrow in his mate’s voice matched the look in his eyes, causing Harry to give in to his natural instincts and draw Sev into a tight embrace. He took a step back so he was standing on the top step and could look him in the eyes. “We’re not eating in the Hall today. We’ll go out into the grounds, just you and me. It’ll be good to get away from all of this, even if it is just for an hour.”

He was gratified when some of the tension left Sev’s shoulders. Apparently he had hit on just the right way to help his mate relax a little and if he got to run a few ideas past him at the same time, all the better.

*~*

Draco stepped back and began walking quickly down towards the gates of Hogwarts as he saw Potter and Snape break apart. He had waited around when he had heard footsteps, simply to see who had been eavesdropping on him and his group and had been curious when he had discovered it was Potter. The familiar tension had crept across his shoulders as bad memories of their sixth year flashed through Draco’s mind. They had been banished when he had heard Potter asking Snape about the students. Draco had had to put up with snide comments about his loyalties for the past few days, as he had expected. There was no way the students were going to leave him alone when he had paraded around the school the way he had before everything went to hell. If both Potter and Snape were willing to help with the students, Draco was not going to stand in the way. Thoughts of the students soon gave way to another thought; one Draco had been avoiding thinking about ever since the Trials.

 _Love. Potter and Snape are in love. When the hell did that happen?_ How _did that happen?_ He knew that they were bonded and that they were living together down in the dungeons, but had never thought that he would ever see them look at each other like that. The only other couple he had ever seen looking at each other with that amount of longing was his parents. Which made a lot of sense, once he thought about it, as they were the only other bonded couple he knew. He had avoided thinking about the two of them and exactly what their new relationship entailed, but it appeared that he would have to give it at least some thought if they were going to deal with the poor treatment that the younger students were putting up with at the moment.

The question Draco had to answer before he could even begin to deal with the bullies was how this affected _his_ relationship with Snape. He knew it was selfish, but he did have to work out if he would be able to have any kind of constant contact with Potter without strangling him if they were to deal with this effectively. He would also have to be careful enough to not provoke Snape’s Veela side when he was interacting with Potter. Not that Draco thought Snape would consider him a threat to their relationship, but if he managed to piss Potter off enough, it was just possible that Snape would take offence and revenge, in that order. With the exception of Draco’s spectacular breakdown during his sixth year, Snape had always been a mentor of sorts for Draco. Looking deep inside himself during the last year had told Draco that he would not mind getting back into the same kind of rhythm he had had with Snape during his school years. He had mostly respected him, not only as his Head of House but, later on, as someone who had technically saved his life. Due to the fact that it was done under an Unbreakable Vow, it did not create a life debt, as it had with Potter, but Draco felt he did owe Snape something for what he had taken on in order to save him from having to resort to murder.

Turning back as he reached the gates, Draco watched the castle, knowing that the two of them were probably exiting the Entrance Hall by now. Without him even trying, it seemed as though Draco’s life was in for a major overhaul. He was not having very much contact with his father, as Lucius was spending so much time speaking to the Ministry, telling them every single place they might be able to find escaped Death Eaters. The past two weeks with Link had been an incredibly welcome surprise, as Draco had not thought he would ever be able to find someone normal to date after what he had done in the War. Shaking his head as he crossed the border of the school, Draco could not help the small smile that graced his lips.

_I'm going to be working with Potter to help a group of Slytherins_. He had known that the War would change things drastically, but this was a development he had never considered, not even during his most fanciful times. However, if it would help the students, most of whom he got along with quite well, then he would make the effort. The next few weeks appeared to be shaping up to be very interesting indeed. He smiled properly as he Apparated away, heading off to a lunch date of his own.

*~*

“The Quidditch pitch, Potter?”

Harry grinned at the disbelieving tone in his mate’s voice. “Where else in the Hogwarts grounds would no one think to look for us if they knew we were coming out here to eat? The lake, yes, but not the Quidditch pitch.”

“That is... actually quite a good point.”

Sev sounded surprised, which amused Harry much more than he would be willing to admit aloud. Instead, he aimed for mildly hurt indignation when he replied. “I’m really not as dumb as everyone seems to think, you know.”

“I know.”

Harry gasped as Sev pushed him up against the bottom of one of the grandstands and kissed him thoroughly. The shock of having Sev pressed against him in an almost-public place wore off after a few seconds and Harry began to respond, opening to his mate. His arms wrapped around Sev’s neck as he moved closer, craving the contact that his work around the castle was denying him during the day. He had been surprised at how much he missed being with Sev while he was working around the school. He had known that they could not spend the entire day together every single day for the rest of their lives, but it had never occurred to him that it was possible to miss someone he had sometimes literally spent the morning being shagged stupid by. _Ok_ , he admitted as flashes of their morning together raced through his mind. _Probably more than just ‘sometimes’._

“Horny bastard,” Sev grinned as he broke the kiss, obviously sensing the direction Harry’s thoughts were taking. He grabbed the picnic basket Harry had dropped on the ground and made his way off towards the Professor’s stand.

“How can you expect me not to be when I’m being kissed like that?”

It was a good-natured debate they had had many times over the six weeks of their relationship. Sev complained that Harry was wearing him out, while Harry insisted that he would not be as demanding as Sev said he was if he was not being encouraged. He had never denied just how much he loved sex and Sev had not stopped encouraging him, so Harry figured it was just an ‘argument’ they would never settle. He grinned as he caught up with his long-legged mate towards the top of the staircase leading up into the grandstand.

“Maybe you need to eat more iron.”

“Excuse me?” Sev stopped a few steps from the top, allowing Harry time to move past him and stand at eye-level.

“Eating more iron increases your energy levels. Maybe you need more iron if you’re struggling to keep up.”

Harry grabbed the picnic basket and took off into the stand before Sev could hex him. That little bit of information had been one of the few seemingly useless things that Hermione had told Harry that had stuck in his mind, as she had related it to his Quidditch practice back at the start of their fifth year. Harry had not been getting as much sleep as he should have and Hermione had suggested that if he wanted to have enough energy to get through Quidditch practice without falling asleep, he should eat more red meat and leafy greens. Unfortunately, he and Ron had then had to listen to a lecture on proper eating habits, but it had been worth it now that the knowledge had paid off.

He could not help the gasp that escaped him as Sev’s large hands wrapped around his stomach and his warm lips latched onto the pulse point in the side of Harry’s throat. The gasp turned to a groan as Sev created yet another hickey that Harry would have to Heal before he could be seen in public. He never would have guessed that Severus Snape would have a thing for sucking on his partner’s neck, but he had had almost daily proof of that fact to Heal whenever he had to go out and see other people.

“One more comment about my age, Potter, and you may find a few drops of Veritaserum in your daily potion.”

Harry laughed, sensing the good humour in Sev’s voice more than hearing it. It had taken quite a while for Harry to be able to tell when his mate was joking, as he had not gotten out of his habit of controlling his emotions, even around Harry. A slight variation in the tone of Sev’s voice, or the lift of an eyebrow was usually the only evidence that he was not on the verge of hexing everyone in sight and Harry was quite proud of himself for being able to tell the difference. Of course, if he had not spent most of his time in Potions class examining the man and his nuances, then Harry knew that he would still be struggling to tell the difference between annoyed and amused. As it was, he turned and brushed their lips together when Sev released his throat, enjoying the small rush of pleasure through his stomach as he felt the ache of the hickey against his skin.

“I miss you during the day.” Harry had no idea where that had come from, as he had not planned on admitting it, but it was the honest truth. He smiled as Sev scooped him up and sat with Harry curled in his lap, holding him close. “I’m sorry, Sev, I’m really not fishing for anything...”

“I need no excuse to want to be with my mate,” came the low response. “And neither should you.”

Sighing with mixed happiness and relief, Harry adjusted his position until he was comfortable, his head resting against Sev’s shoulder. This position was a recent development; Sev had taken to scooping Harry up in his arms over the past fortnight and settling down with him in his lap. Not that Harry was complaining, as it satisfied his craving to be near Sev better than almost anything else they did that involved being clothed. They stayed sitting there in the stand, simply enjoying the quiet away from the Great Hall until Harry could no longer resist the smells coming from the picnic basket. He filled two plates and settled back against the wooden seat, finishing half his meal before speaking again.

“So... any ideas about how we can stop the other Houses picking on the remaining Slytherins?”

“I do not think it will simply be a matter of stopping them from bullying them. They need to be shown that the ones who have come back here to help with the cleanup – as well as the younger ones who will be coming back to finish their schooling – have no ill intentions towards them or anyone else. I knew that there would most likely be problems after the War and I believe that you and your friends may be the key to showing the rest of the school that they have nothing to fear.”

That got Harry’s full attention. “How?”

“Minerva had the right idea by assigning Granger and Weasley to that particular group, they just did not trust them enough to be able to work together effectively. Now that Draco has taken over and seemingly gained their trust, it may make it a little easier. Your group is a combination of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, correct?” Sev waited until Harry had nodded before continuing. “Perhaps you could combine your group with Draco’s one day next week and force the two to work together. If it works out, you can do it more often. Once your group has the opportunity to see that Draco’s have no plans to hex them, it may change their minds.”

“So they get to decide themselves that the Slytherin group aren’t bad instead of having someone else _telling_ them they have to get along. Then, once my lot are used to them, we can switch out for Dean’s or Neville’s group so they all get to see for themselves as well. That’s... brilliant!” Harry glanced up to see a slight smile on Sev’s face as he watched him. “I’ll have a word to Draco when he gets back from wherever it is he goes for lunch. Don’t suppose you have any ideas on that, do you?”

Sev gave Harry a look that clearly said he did not care what Draco got up to during his lunch hour and neither should Harry. “I would assume, considering his age, he has a partner of some form that he visits.”

“Draco has a girlfriend?” Harry considered this for a few seconds before a shudder ran through him. “Who’d want to date _him_? He’s so... pointy and _blond_.”

Harry glanced up in surprise as he heard Sev begin to laugh. “It is good to know I shall not have to worry about you in his company.”

Abandoning the rest of his lunch, Harry moved to straddle Sev’s thighs, smiling as those large hands circled his hips. He leant in close, rocking his hips gently. “Why would I ever want anyone else when I have you?”

His words had the desired effect: Sev let out a low moan as he captured Harry’s lips, forcing them apart with his tongue. All thoughts of students and Draco and the type of girl who would want Draco flew out of Harry’s mind as Sev’s hands gripped his arse. They were replaced with thoughts of how much of an incredibly good idea it sounded for them to defile the Professor’s grandstand. Working quickly before Sev had time to object to the fact that they were in public, Harry proceeded to match his actions to the idea.


	8. Chapter 8

Lincoln jumped and swore as a pair of warm hands circled around his waist from behind. He was used to being able to sense his partner’s approach, as the others had all been Elves. Spinning around on the stool at the bar of the Leaky, he caught Draco’s smirk as he moved close enough to seal their lips together. Draco had practically demanded that Lincoln not work late that night so they could have some proper time together and Lincoln had readily agreed, considering how much trouble he was having keeping his hands – and lips – in publically acceptable places on Draco’s body. He brushed his tongue against Draco’s bottom lip, requesting entrance and sighed in relief as Draco willingly opened for him. They had met up for lunch three times that week, the last time earlier that day, but Lincoln did not know if these meetings were fuelling the desperate desire he felt to see Draco, or if it would have been worse if they had left it an entire week after last weekend to see each other again. Apparently it was entirely possible to go almost two years without any kind of sexual contact with anyone else and be perfectly fine, but break that streak with a surprisingly good blowjob and he was left distracted the entire week. Distracted by the impossibly smooth skin his fingers were now tracing along between the gap of Draco’s jeans and t-shirt; distracted by the stormy grey eyes that had held him captive more than once at lunch that week; by the intoxicating scent of sandalwood that invaded his senses every time Draco was near. Draco’s warm, sure hands drifted slowly up Lincoln’s ribs, one palm ghosting over a hardening nipple and Lincoln let out a quiet moan. Spreading his legs a little in order to let Draco move closer, he slid his hands downwards, slipping them into the back pockets of Draco’s jeans. He felt rather than heard Draco’s laugh as a shudder ran through him, and he willed his body not to react to the stimulus his mind was creating.

“I missed you,” Draco murmured against his lips as they broke apart.

“Mmm,” was the most intelligent response Lincoln could come up with as he attempted to gather his scattered wits. The loss of Draco’s warmth pressed against his lips was enough to break the trance Lincoln was under. His eyes opened slowly to see Draco frowning at him. “What?”

Instead of answering straight away, Draco ran a finger gently beneath Lincoln’s eyes, concern showing through in his deepening frown. “You look tired.”

“That tends to happen when you wake up at 4 a.m. to go to work.” Lincoln could not help smiling as warmth flooded his stomach at the worry in Draco’s eyes; he had forgotten how _good_ it felt to have someone besides family members concerned for his well-being.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go out tonight.” Lincoln now found himself fighting hard to stop the sharp shocks of disappointment shooting through him from showing on his face. He did not have to fight long, as Draco leant in close, a wicked grin spreading across his features. “Maybe I should get you home to bed.”

“Oh, please do. It’ll save the rest of us from witnessing this disgusting display.”

Lincoln barely held back a snarl at the obviously sneered words. He stood, gathering Draco to him as he prepared to apparate them back to his flat. Following his instincts, he shielded Draco from Adrian’s view, protecting him as best he could. He did not even bother turning around as he responded. “Get fucked, Adrian.”

They landed in his living room a few seconds later and Lincoln prepared himself to have to answer Draco’s questions about Adrian. Shock rippled through him when instead he found himself pressed up against the back of the lounge with Draco’s hand sliding down to cup him through his jeans. His head swam as his blood rapidly moved south beneath Draco’s massaging hand. Lincoln claimed Draco’s lips when he swayed close enough, tangling a hand through his soft strands of hair to keep him in place. He knew he would have questions to answer when Draco nipped just that little bit too hard at his bottom lip.

“Draco?” His voice was too breathy for his liking at the moment. If Draco would just give him some time to breathe...

“Who is he?” There was a hard edge to Draco’s voice beneath the heavy layer of lust.

Attempting to catch his breath by taking deep lungfuls of air was not helping, not with Draco’s hand still slowly massaging all logical thought from his mind. “We went to school together. You know about my past; there’s no reason for me to not mention him.”

That was the honest truth: Lincoln had told Draco about his past lovers when he had asked. There was absolutely no reason for him to lie about any of them and he had not. He just hoped Draco could hear the sincerity in his voice.

“You’re sure? He’s really good-looking; perfect for a one-night stand.”

There was now definitely more unease and jealousy in Draco’s soft voice than anything else, prompting Lincoln into action. Standing up, he gathered Draco into his arms, moving him backwards until his back hit the door of the bedroom, directly across from the lounge where they had been standing. He attempted to dislodge Draco’s hand to give himself a break from the sharp jabs of desire lancing through him, but Draco held tight, watching him closely. Giving up on that method of catching his breath, Lincoln brushed the thumbs of both hands along Draco’s cheekbones, staring deeply into his eyes.

“He may be, but he’s also a complete pig. I have _never_ felt anything other than contempt for him.”

“I don’t share, Link.” Despite the words, Lincoln was relieved to hear Draco’s voice had evened out to his normal tones.

“You don’t have to: I want _you_. You’ve trusted me on everything else; please believe that you’re the only one I want.”

“‘The only one?’” Draco smiled as he finally released his grip on Lincoln’s heavily leaking cock to ease the fly open and move the jeans down his hips.

“No one else,” Lincoln breathed as Draco slid down in front of him to seal his hot mouth around the head of his aching cock.

Lincoln hummed in pleasure as Draco drew him further into the heat of his mouth, using the leaking pre-cum as lube to ease his hand along his length. No matter what anyone else said, Lincoln was of the very firm opinion that even an inexperienced blowjob given by someone you cared for was much better than a good one given by a one-night stand. Draco may have been a little awkward as he licked and sucked Lincoln to what was building up to be a brilliant orgasm, but the simple fact that he was willing to do so was nearly enough to have Lincoln coming much too soon for his liking. His head landed on his folded arms against his bedroom door with a deep groan as Draco’s free hand cupped his balls, circling them gently.

“Harder,” he whispered as he stared down at the top of Draco’s pale blond head.

Draco met his eyes with surprise, but obeyed, squeezing the hand cupping Lincoln’s tightening sac. The look of shock in his grey eyes deepened as Lincoln moaned in pleasure, his eyes almost rolling back in his head. Lincoln was having serious troubles preventing his hips from jerking in time to the rhythm Draco was setting along his length: sucking hard on his head as his hand travelled upwards, releasing as it travelled back. It was a method he had not experienced before and it was bringing him to the brink very quickly. He forced his eyes to stay open, needing to see everything as Draco brought him closer and closer. They widened in shock of his own as one of Draco’s elegant fingers reached back and pressed up against his perineum.

“ _Christ_ , Dray... I can’t...”

With a final swipe of his tongue along the thick vein on the underside of Lincoln’s cock, Draco brought him to a shattering orgasm. Lincoln felt surprise ripple through him beneath the crashing waves of lust – mostly due to the fact that he had managed to stay on his feet – as he shot thick ropes of cum into Draco’s waiting mouth. He was unable to prevent his hips from rocking into the warmth in front of him any longer and desperately hoped Draco would not mind as he pressed his softening length further into Draco’s mouth. Far from appearing to mind, Draco sucked and licked him clean before releasing him, staring up at him in smug pleasure as Lincoln’s knees finally gave way. Wincing in pain as his knees cracked down on the wooden floor, Lincoln moved up to draw Draco into a soft kiss.

“We’re ok?” Lincoln was fairly certain – considering Draco’s actions – he already knew the answer to that question, but he was being prompted to find out anyway. Having the full trust of his partner was so intricately woven into the very fabric of his being that it would hurt more than he could put into words if he knew Draco was unable to trust him. He followed Draco down as he sagged back against the door, drawing Lincoln into his arms.

“I... mmm, yes... yes,” Draco breathed, causing Lincoln to wonder if he was responding to the question or the fact that Lincoln was currently sucking on the pulse point throbbing in the side of his throat.

“‘Yes’? Yes us, or yes more?” Lincoln knew he was teasing and that if he had not come just a minute before that he would pay for it, but Draco was so delicious like this – eyes glazed, kiss-bruised mouth open and panting, hands scrambling for purchase as Lincoln teased him – he simply could not help it.

“I... you... more,” Draco let out a frustrated grunt as Lincoln slid his hands down his chest. “Both... less talk, more _more_.”

His head fell back against the door with a soft thud, exposing the length of his throat. Lincoln took immediate advantage, nibbling a trail from the pulse point across Draco’s Adam’s apple and down to the base of his throat, relishing the salty taste of his skin. He would have gone further, but was stymied by the collar of Draco’s t-shirt. Instead, he stayed exactly where he was, sucking gently on the soft skin as he sent his hands down to wrap around Draco’s slim hips. He had to swallow a chuckle as Draco groaned, bucking his hips upwards in an obvious attempt to gain friction. Lincoln sent his fingers into the top of Draco’s jeans, running them down his hips, but avoided the impressive bulge in the front, earning himself a frustrated whine.

“Link,” Draco half-moaned, half-whimpered.

The laugh he had been holding back escaped him as Draco’s hands grasped his shoulders. Sitting back on his heels to rid himself of his jacket and shirt, Lincoln came to the decision that bed was a very good idea right at that moment. “Up.”

“Already up; do something about it.” The glare Draco was attempting to send him was muted by the glazed, slightly unfocussed look in his eyes. “Please?”

Unable to resist the pleading tone in Draco’s voice, Lincoln leant forward until their lips touched in a soft kiss. One of his hands reached behind Draco to open the door he was leaning against then slid down to catch him as the wood gave way. Scooping Draco up bridal-style, he moved into the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them. He had no recollection of how, but his jeans and boots wound up on the floor along with Draco’s shirt a few seconds after they landed on the bed, a mass of sweaty limbs and frantic lips. Lincoln found himself being tugged in two directions. One part of him was desperate to taste Draco again – a week was definitely too long to wait – the other half needing to give in to the mindlessness that always followed a fantastic orgasm. He sat back on his heels as he slowly dragged Draco’s form-fitting jeans down his hips, allowing himself time to take in the sight of Draco’s almost naked body. He was pale and slightly too thin, but Lincoln figured with a little pampering, he could get back to what had obviously been a quite toned body. And if pampering was what it would take, then Lincoln found himself more than willing to do just that, especially if it meant he would get to see just what Draco had looked like before the War had taken its toll. Draco had said that he had played Quidditch for years before the War, which would explain the fine arse and nicely toned thighs that Lincoln was slowly revealing. Unwilling to wait much longer, Lincoln dragged the jeans off along with Draco’s shoes, throwing them both off the end of the bed before moving back up to hover above Draco.

“Annwyll Dduw, Dray,” Lincoln murmured as he dragged his lips down the centre of Draco’s stomach. “You really don’t know, do you?” He took deep, hopefully calming breaths as he moved slowly downwards.

“Know what?” Draco sounded breathless, his voice layered with enough desire to send Lincoln’s head swimming with desire of his own.

“What you do to me. The state you’ve had me in over the past week.” He was punctuating each sentence with a swipe of his tongue along Draco’s heated skin, each one getting closer and closer to his leaking cock. “Distracted at work. Unable to sleep at night without you flashing through my mind. Being able to touch in public, but it not being anywhere near enough. I want you way more than I should.” _And it should terrify me, but it really doesn’t._

Draco’s back arched with a high-pitched whine as Lincoln finally took him into his mouth, tonguing the pre-cum from his slit. Lincoln’s eyes fluttered closed as he sucked Draco into his mouth completely, overwhelmed with the taste and scent of his partner. His hands clamped down on Draco’s hips, preventing him from thrusting up into his mouth, much preferring to control their pace himself. There would be no delaying anything this time; he was much too eager to taste Draco against his tongue again. Working his tongue along the underside of Draco’s cock earned him a deep groan. Draco’s fingers found their way into Lincoln’s hair, holding him in place as he began to whisper nonsense.

“Mmm... yesyesyes... _fuck_ , close...”

Lincoln hummed in amusement, wondering if Draco even knew he was speaking aloud. He reached to untangle the fingers in his hair so he could move again, sacrificing some of the control he had over Draco’s forcefully bucking hips. Draco thrust upwards again as Lincoln managed to untangle his fingers. He was just about to replace his hand when Draco gripped it in his now-free hand. Lincoln gasped in surprise as Draco sat up and drew his fingers into the heat of his mouth.

“Myn uffern i,” he sighed, his eyes threatening to flutter closed again as pleasure pumped through him.

“Link,” Draco groaned, dragging him up by his hair. “Kiss me.”

Unable to disobey the command, Lincoln immediately moved up Draco’s body, claiming his lips in a heated kiss. Draco wrapped his legs around Lincoln’s waist, thrusting against his hip at a frantic pace. Lincoln found himself more than willing to surrender control over to Draco but right at that moment he was also completely _un_ willing to examine just _why_. His other partners had been submissive in every way, but Draco... Lincoln groaned as Draco’s hips began to stutter against him.

“Dray, Dray, Dray,” he murmured against Draco’s Adam’s apple before nibbling a trail down to the throbbing pulse point at the base of his throat.

“Link, I –” Draco’s words were cut off with a strangled cry as he came, spurting hot jets of cum in between them. His back arched, his head fell back and Lincoln watched every second, memorising the look of pure ecstasy on Draco’s face before he fell back against the bed with a whimper.

“Fuck,” Lincoln whispered, completely overwhelmed by the emotions running through him. “ _Fuck_ , Dray, you...”

He shook his head, unable to voice what was running through him. Instead, he gathered Draco into his arms and rolled them over, tucking him safely against his chest. A waved hand and muttered spell cleaned them off. Lincoln smiled as Draco wriggled, settling himself closer into his embrace before stilling, his head resting comfortably on Lincoln’s shoulder. The last coherent thought to run through his mind was that he must remember to thank Adrian for pushing Draco into taking the actions he had that night. For the first time in a week, he fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

*~*

_“Draco, give Rowle another taste of our displeasure... do it or feel my wrath yourself!”_

_Draco pointed his wand, gripping it so tight he thought it may very well snap in two. Torture sickened him and he knew that he would have to excuse himself to the bathroom soon after this ‘session’ to empty his stomach of the little he had managed to eat that day. The Dark Lord’s red eyes bored into him, guaranteeing his and his parents deaths if he should disobey. His hand shook as he looked down at the large blond man on the floor in front of him._

_“C-Crucio,” he stuttered out, nausea washing over him in waves as he tortured Rowle._

_“Yes Draco... at least_ one _Malfoy is intelligent enough to be able to follow his master’s orders.” The Dark Lord moved closer to Draco, who lifted the curse just as the long, bony fingers pointed another wand in Rowle’s direction. “Avada –”_

Draco sprang up, scrambling down to the end of the unfamiliar bed. His breath was coming in sharp gasps as he searched frantically for his wand, his clothes, anything that would give him an idea of where he was, or even just a feeling of safety. He was unused to waking from his infrequent nightmares in a bed other than his own and it had disorientated him, setting his nerves on edge as he tried to place where he was. Movement at the other end of the bed caused Draco to freeze in place, his mind racing through the reasons why there should be someone else in bed with him. His entire body tensed and he squeezed his eyes shut as light shot towards him, flashes of the Room of Requirement invading his mind.

“Draco?” The soft voice was both filled with concern and achingly familiar.

“Link.” Draco sagged down onto the end of the bed with relief, the rest of the night coming back to him in a flash of memory. The light that his panicked mind had thought was fire turned out to be Link’s wand, alight with a mild _Lumos_.

“What...?” Link reached a tentative hand towards him, but paused just before touching him.

Draco raised his head, glancing up at the worried expression in Link’s violet eyes. He immediately looked away again, knowing just how incredibly vulnerable he must look and unwilling to see the look of disgust in Link’s eyes when he saw Draco’s weakness.

“Go. I should... I should go. It’s not safe for –”

“No.” Draco turned sharply back as Link interrupted him. “Look, I know that technically I don’t know you all that well; that we’ve only known each other for a fortnight. And that therefore this is probably going to end up sounding like complete bullshit. But you can trust me. I haven’t lied to you. I haven’t assumed anything about you or your past; which you’ve told me basically nothing about, by the way.”

“That’s just it, Link. You _don’t_ know what I’ve done.” Draco’s hands clenched into the soft blanket in an attempt to stop himself from accepting the comfort Link was obviously offering. “When those nightmares come back, I can’t control how I’m going to react. My mind runs purely on instinct. If I’d been able to reach my wand tonight...”

Draco left the sentence open, fighting back a shudder at the thought of the damage he could have done. He had thought himself rid of the nightmares, as he had not had one in a few weeks. They used to come on a regular basis, three or four times a week, just after the War ended. They were not always the same, but most centred around the same theme: he was torturing someone under the orders of The Dark Lord, who would move in and murder the person at the end, waking him up in a sweaty mess. It always took him a few seconds to re-orientate himself after waking from one of the dreams and that is what he figured had set him so off balance that night: waking in Link’s bed rather than his own had set off some of his deepest fears from the War, ones he was unwilling to think about during the waking hours. Shaking his head as he stood up to search for his clothing, Draco bit back a sigh of regret. He knew that Link would probably take this as some kind of rejection, but he was simply unwilling to allow himself to put him in the kind of danger that spending the night with him would place Link in. He gasped as a strong hand grasped his wrist and pulled him back down onto the bed.

“You’re going to listen to me whether you want to or not.” Link moved to pin Draco to the bed, straddling his hips with his hands clamping down on Draco’s shoulders. Shock mixed in with the remnants of fear and panic in Draco’s chest as he saw what looked very much like anger flash through Link’s eyes. “I’m _not_ afraid of you, or what _might_ happen if you don’t recognise me in time. I thought that what we were building here meant more to you than it obviously does.” Draco began to struggle against the hold Link had on him at this, needing to be able to meet him on even ground. Link only tightened his grip on Draco’s shoulders, however, leaning in close to almost snarl the next words. “You refuse to ‘share’ me? Well _I_ refuse to be used and thrown aside like some cheap floozy you found on the roadside.”

Draco’s scrambling feet finally found purchase on the slippery blanket and he used it to flip Link off him, rolling them over so he landed on top of him. “That’s _not_ what I’m doing and you know it.”

“Do I?”

Draco’s mouth snapped shut as he saw what he had thought to be anger flash through Link’s eyes again, although this time it looked to be much closer to amusement. He stopped struggling against the hold Link had on his shoulders and simply stared down at him, trying to work out just what the hell was actually going on behind those deep violet eyes. The last of the tension and fear slowly drained out of him as Link’s grip loosened, lowering him to rest on his chest.

“You did that on purpose.” It was a statement rather than a question, which Link seemed to work out despite not being able to see Draco’s face.

“I’m sorry, Dray, but I had to break you out of that... whatever-it-was somehow. Giving you something else to focus your energy on seemed to be the easiest way without actually having to hex you.”

Draco shoved himself up to hover over Link, staring down into his eyes intently. They were open and honest, not showing any signs of the anger Draco’s fear-clouded mind had shown him just a minute before. “You’re absolutely certain you want to run the risk of having me trying to kill you in your sleep?”

“I’m a light sleeper,” Link shrugged. “If you do manage it, I’ll not be asleep.”

“ _Lincoln_...” Draco put all the warning he could muster into that one word, telling Link that he was not joking.

“ _Draco_ ,” Link retorted, his tone matching Draco’s almost perfectly. “You’re worth the risk.”

“Oh.” Draco was brought up short at the seriousness in Link’s voice. “Well.” He looked away, blinking in an attempt to process what he had just been told.

Link sat up, gently pushing Draco until he was sitting back on his heels. “I meant what I said earlier: you _can_ trust me, Dray. I’m not going to ask you to tell me what went on during the War; I know better than that. What I am saying is that if you ever feel the need to talk about any of it, no matter what it is, I’ll be right here.”

“Thank-you,” Draco whispered, leaning forward to brush their lips together. “But, as dumb as it sounds, I think I’m still processing some of it myself at the moment.”

“Fair enough.” Link moved up the bed, pulling the covers back with a glance back to Draco. “You _are_ staying, right? We can go back to bed?”

“Yes,” Draco laughed. “‘Cheap floozy’, by the way?”

“Shut-up; it was the first thing that popped into my mind. Besides, I always figured I wouldn’t be cheap.” Link grinned as Draco settled himself down against his chest again.

“Not cheap, but still a bit of a floozy?”

“I’ve gotta draw the line somewhere, right? Hey,” he added with another grin as Draco leant up to try to brush their lips together. “Kissing’s extra.”

“Stop me,” Draco retorted and was rewarded with a chuckle that vibrated through him as Link reached to extinguish his wand. The last thought to drift through his mind before he fell back into a – thankfully peaceful – sleep was that tomorrow morning looked to be shaping up to be very interesting indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I forgot to last time, here's a translation of the Welsh in here:  
> Annwyll Dduw: Dear God.  
> Myn uffern i: literally "by my hell", but the closer meaning is "bloody hell", same as in English.


	9. Chapter 9

_Fucking Malfoy! Too bloody good to stay and actually watch over his group of workers, is he? Couldn’t be bothered to take responsibility for once, could he?_ Harry’s irritation rippled over his skin as he stomped his way through the castle. He had just spent the past hour trying to mediate between Draco’s group of Slytherins and a group of fifth year Gryffindors, who had apparently objected to the fact that the Slytherins wanted to sit in a particular window seat on the fourth floor, where they could see out onto the grounds. The resulting fight had ended in three out of the entire lot of twelve being sent to the hospital ward and the rest having to sit and listen to a very aggravated lecture from Harry, who had had more than enough of the petty squabbling. They had put their plan into action that past Monday and discovered that Harry’s group and Draco’s worked quite well together. There had been no in-fighting and some of the students who were in the same year together actually had started to form friendships. They had switched out for Dean’s group on Wednesday with similar, if not entirely prefect, results. That day, however... Harry did not know if it was simply the fact that it was Friday and the students were looking forward to the weekend, or what, but they did not seem to be able to keep control over any of them. Then Malfoy had left an hour earlier than usual; not that he stayed the entire day anyway, having left the grounds for lunch three days that week, the same as the last.

The problem, he figured, was that while it was very possible for he and his friends to get their own individual groups to work well with Draco’s during the day, the rest of the school was not going to stop excluding the Slytherins just because one or two other groups had. What they needed was permanent supervision, which is what Harry had _thought_ Draco had been offering, but the smarmy git had buggered off an hour early that day, no doubt eager to start his weekend with whatever trollop he had attached himself to. _Because, really, what kind of girl would be interested in him? Pansy Parkinson?_ Harry sighed as he paused to wave his wand over a mess of rubble that was in the walkway, thankful to have something to focus on other than the girl Draco must be seeing. He kicked one of the rocks in an attempt to alleviate some of the irritation running through his veins then swore soundly when it sailed across the corridor and through the window of one of the classrooms.

“Bloody, fucking useless piece of shit!” He forced his way into the classroom, repairing the window with a muttered spell. “Manky, grotty, mangy, worthless waste of –” He threw the rock he had picked up, gasping as it shattered against a strong shield.

“Taking your frustration out on the castle, Potter?”

Harry looked up to see Sev leaning almost casually against the doorway, long legs crossed and smirk firmly in place. Desire flooded through him, fighting for dominance with the exasperation. Unfortunately, the desire was tamped down when his traitorous mind supplied the idea that Malfoy had been Sev’s favourite student, trumping Harry by far. Turning back to the front of the classroom with a barely concealed snarl, Harry stomped down to the professor’s desk and threw himself into the chair, putting some distance between he and Sev. Other, even more traitorous parts of Harry paid very close attention as Sev pushed off from the doorframe, vanished the shield almost lazily and started down the length of the classroom, closing and locking the door with a wave of his hand. He walked slowly, stretching his long legs casually, his eyes locked onto Harry’s. Harry wished desperately that he had the willpower to look away, but found himself transfixed until Sev came to a stop in front of the desk Harry now felt like he was hiding behind. He leant back carelessly, his hips resting on the front desk, his feet crossed in front of him again.

“Care to enlighten me as to the reason for this hissy fit?”

The question broke through Harry’s lust-clouded mind, finally allowing him to look away from his mate. He compressed his lips in an attempt to prevent himself from snapping, but found it useless. “How the _hell_ do you get along with the Malfoy’s so well?”

Sev raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “You are having problems with Draco?”

“No,” Harry sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Not really. I mean, he’s still a git, but we’re civil enough, considering. It’s the students who are causing all the problems. We can’t get them to get along outside of the workgroups. If we could just convince more of them that it wasn’t the entire House who were Death Eaters, it would make life so much easier, but they all seem to want to hold onto the old prejudices...”

“People will always have trouble letting go of the old ways of thinking, Harry.” Sev’s voice was soft and full of regret, causing Harry’s chest to restrict painfully. It was easy to forget sometimes that his self-assured mate had been ostracised by many in the wizarding community because of those same ‘old ways of thinking’.

Harry moved to stand in front of Sev, who glanced up at him, his face going blank as he hid whatever emotion he had not wanted Harry to see. Screwing up all of his ‘famous Gryffindor courage’, Harry hoped desperately that what he was about to do was the right thing. He leant forward to place his hands on Sev’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “I’m sorry, Sev.”

“Potter,” Sev started, a touch of warning in his voice, but Harry was having none of his stubbornness.

“Don’t ‘Potter’ me, Sev, just listen for once. I’m sorry for being completely pants at everything you tried to teach me. I’m sorry for not paying attention when I really should have. I’m sorry for not being able to see past what everyone else judged you by. I’m sorry for not believing in you. I’m sorry for not trusting you. Most of all, I’m sorry that all of those idiotic things I’ve done or said have caused you any kind of pain.” He would have continued, but Sev pulled him into a tight embrace, his face buried into the crook of Harry’s neck.

“Harry...” His name was barely a whisper on Sev’s lips and it sent shivers straight through Harry.

“You’re my mate, Sev and I should’ve realised.” Harry finally allowed the guilt he had been carrying around to come to the surface of his mind. “I shouldn’t have –”

“Stop, Harry, you could not have known; not until you came into your Inheritance.” Harry watched as Sev pulled back to rest their foreheads together, all the pain and regret from earlier evaporating rapidly.

“Forgive me?”

“The second you accepted me back at the Shack.”

Harry smiled as he brought their lips together in a soft kiss. He had no idea how his irritation at the students had turned into a confession session with his mate, but was thankful that it had. The guilt he had been carrying around over the way he had treated Sev during his years as a student had been eating at him for a while now and it was nice to know that Sev had forgiven him for his idiocy. He was unable to prevent the soft sigh that escaped him as they broke apart.

“If only everything else was this easy.”

“I swear, Potter, if I ever catch you being this easy with anyone else, I shall snap their worthless neck.”

“Oi, I’m _not_ easy,” Harry exclaimed, attempting to step out of the circle of Sev’s arms.

“Believe what you must, if it helps you to sleep at night.” Sev smirked as his hands travelled down to grasp Harry’s arse. “I must beg to differ, however.”

“I’ll have you begging, you bastard,” Harry muttered as he smashed their lips together in a forceful kiss, hoping to distract him.

“I do not beg, Potter.” Sev’s voice was hoarse, sending desire thrilling through Harry.

“We’ll see about that,” Harry grinned as he twisted out of his mate’s grasp. His foul mood alleviated, Harry found himself almost skipping in anticipation of the night ahead.

*~*

Draco took a deep breath as he rounded the corner towards what the signs told him was supposed to be Link’s office. He knew it should have occurred to him that being head of his department, Link would have an actual office at St. Mungo’s, but it had surprised him when he had asked at the front reception desk. An odd thrill of desire shot through him at the thought that his boyfriend was in charge of so many people and he had to fight back a delirious grin. That was what Draco had decided Link was to him now, even if they had not discussed it yet. Hell, they had not even slept together, despite Draco’s increasingly unsubtle hints that that was exactly what he wanted. It had been three weeks and he was absolutely certain that the only way this relationship was going to move forward was by taking it a step further. He was not asking for declarations of undying love – even though he was fairly certain it would be incredibly easy for him to fall for Link at this stage – all he wanted was a chance to discover if they fit together as well as he expected they would. Antsy is what he was and it annoyed him no end. He was unused to being made to wait for what he wanted, but it seemed that Link would not be pushed into anything he was not ready for. Not that Draco would want to pressure him in any way, but he was certain he had seen the same level of desire in Link’s eyes as Draco felt for him, so he was unsure of exactly what Link was waiting for.

“How can I help you, Sir?”

Draco jumped at the sound of a cheerful voice directed at him from across the brightly coloured room he had just entered. It belonged to a middle-aged witch sitting behind a desk in the middle of the room. Her face crinkled as she offered him a smile. 

“I’m looking for Lincoln Northam?”

“ _Healer_ Northam,” she corrected him gently, as though he were much younger than he actually was. “He’s in his office down the hall, dear. Follow that hallway and it’s the first door on your left. Although I must warn you, he has said he doesn’t wish to be disturbed.”

“Thank you, Ma’am,” Draco responded with a small smile, his good breeding kicking in immediately. “I believe I’ll take the chance, however.”

Stepping out around her desk, Draco followed the muted blue hallway she had indicated until he rounded a corner and came to a series of doors, each a different bright colour. The walls were covered in children’s drawings, some addressed to a different Healer with thanks scrawled for helping them. Draco took his time making his way down to the first door on his left, studying each of the drawings as he went. A lot of them were by very young children, making them unreadable to someone unused to reading children’s writing, but the ones thanking certain Healers for helping older children were legible and almost heartbreaking. Skipping over the faded ones that had obviously been there for a while, Draco focussed on finding the more recent ones. He did not know exactly what he was looking for, just that he would know it when he saw it. As he neared the door he spotted a group of letters from what could only be the students injured at Hogwarts. Swallowing hard as he read through the letters, the reality of what Link did here finally settled in. Draco had known, of course, what he did for a living, but it had never truly sunk in that he was here, saving lives. That those strong, sure hands that drove Draco wild _saved lives._ The lives of _children_ at that. His head swimming with so many emotions he could not differentiate between them, Draco stepped back to lean against the wall behind him. It was all a bit much to process right at that moment: Link spent his days putting broken children back together. There were so many people on this wall who had placed their full trust in Link and he had saved them all.

It was that realisation that told Draco that what he was here to tell Link was the right thing to do. He had been raised to believe that you always told the truth to those who were important to you and Link deserved to know just what Draco had done during the War, even if Draco himself hated the idea of talking about it. Because Link _was_ important to him: the calm, steady strength he offered had been what had kept Draco going some days when some of the worst memories of what he had done during the War threatened to overwhelm him. He had given what Link had said the last weekend a great deal of thought and had come to the conclusion that he could and _did_ trust him. They were not supposed to be seeing each other until the next day, as Link was going back home to see his parents, but Draco was unwilling to wait that long. He had seen what had appeared to be almost desperation in Link’s beautiful eyes when he had told Draco he could trust him, almost as though that were the most important thing in the world to him: that Draco was able to trust him.

Gathering what little courage he possessed, Draco took a deep breath and knocked on the light blue door across from him. What sounded very much like a growl sounded from the other side before the lock slid back. He opened the door carefully and slipped inside, taking in the sight before him with a racing heart. Link had stripped off the light green outer robes all Healers wore and they were draped across a filing cabinet to the left of the room, almost as though they had been thrown. His desk sat directly in front of a window that offered a lot of natural light; the desk was currently covered in piles of paper. Link’s head was bowed over some of the papers, a quill speeding rapidly across the top of one of them. His shoulders appeared tense and he looked to be glaring at the paper almost as if it had offended him in some way. _Working himself too hard again._

“This had better be good,” he growled without looking up.

“You and your bloody overtime,” Draco muttered, striding across the room towards him.

“Draco?”

A flash of surprised violet eyes was the only thing Draco saw of Link before he pushed his chair back and leant in to seal their lips together. A low moan escaped his throat as Draco knelt on Link’s chair, moving to straddle him. Opening willingly as Link’s tongue brushed against his lower lip, Draco allowed himself to become lost in the sensations rushing through him. A brush of magic as Link locked and silenced the door brought him out of the lust-filled trance he was swimming in enough to pull back and begin to trail kisses along Link’s jaw.

“You... are... perfect...” he muttered, punctuating each word with a kiss or nip against Link’s neck. “Absolutely... bloody... _perfect_...”

“Draco,” Link groaned, his hands trailing down Draco’s back to grasp his arse. “What’re –”

His words were cut off with a hiss as Draco sucked his earlobe into his mouth. A rush of triumphant desire flooded Draco’s system as one of Link’s hands clenched in the small of his back, pulling the back of his long-sleeved t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans. The past three weeks had given Draco a fairly good idea of exactly what to do to Link to have him breathless in a matter of seconds and it seemed his ears were particularly sensitive. A smile crept across Draco’s lips as Link moaned and arched beneath him, pressing their torsos together close enough that Draco almost lost his balance. He laughed, low and almost delirious with lust as he slipped his hands in behind Link’s broad shoulders and held on.

“Intelligent and strong and powerful and so fucking sexy it’s unbelievable,” Draco murmured as he released Link’s ear to travel back along his jaw. “ _Perfect_.”

“Dray...”

“And don’t you dare try to object to any of that, because it’s true, every word of it.” Draco sat back in Link’s lap, staring into his glazed eyes. “ _Children_ , Link. _You save children_. I mean, I knew, but I never really understood. All those pictures out there...”

One of Link’s hands came up to trace along the side of Draco’s face before drawing him into another, much more heated kiss. His other hand was still clenched into the shirt at the small of Draco’s back, reminiscent of their first date. It had the same effect on Draco as it had three weeks previously: sending shivers through him and leaving his hands shaking as he tugged on the length of leather tying Link’s hair back, allowing the dreads to flow free around his shoulders. Draco broke the kiss, panting, needing to catch his breath and stop himself from giving in to his body’s baser instincts.

“This isn’t actually why I’m here,” he gasped. “But you’re so bloody distracting.”

Link merely quirked an eyebrow and grinned and Draco found himself leaning forward, almost hypnotised by the desire he could see shining out of Link’s eyes. “No.” He forced himself to back off, sliding off Link’s lap to lean against the desk. “Let me focus.”

“I am focussed.”

Link tilted the chair back, folded his hands across his stomach and stretched his legs out to rest on the edge of his desk. Draco’s eyes travelled from the casually crossed ankles, up the length of Link’s black, form-fitting trousers to the deep purple shirt that turned his eyes the most stunning colour. It was the smirk that flashed across Link’s features as Draco took a shuddering breath that told him he was being played.

“Will you stop?” Draco pushed off from the desk and turned, trying to calm his racing heart.

“No,” Link stated plainly. “I like knowing how much you want me. That worked much better than I thought it would, though.” The chair clattered back onto all four legs.

“Looks like I’m not the only one clueless as to the effect he has on people,” Draco muttered.

Link’s quiet laugh close behind him was the only warning he had before warm hands slid along his arms, which he had wrapped around his middle. Draco’s eyes fluttered shut as he relaxed back into the embrace. He knew he should not be allowing Link to distract him, but he also knew he had only himself to blame for their current state, as he had not been able to control his own desires.

“Link,” he managed to breathe after a few seconds.

“Mmm?”

“You were right: I do trust you.” Draco felt Link still behind him, his hands tightening around Draco’s waist. “And you deserve to know what I’ve done.”

“You don’t have to.” The words were soft, all the playfulness gone.

“Yes, I do.” Draco knew he had to now, or he might never have the courage to talk about it again.

“If you’re sure.”

Draco waited for Link to release him, but the moment never came. Instead, Link moved them both backwards and leant on the edge of his desk, loosening his grip so Draco had the choice to leave, or not. Leaning back into the offered warmth for a few more seconds, Draco eventually let out a small sigh. The small intake of breath he heard from behind him as he placed a soft kiss on the middle knuckle of Link’s hand almost changed his mind about moving from where he was, but he pushed off the desk, needing the movement of pacing the room to order his thoughts. This was one of the times he was extremely grateful that Link appeared to have an uncanny sixth sense about when to allow Draco space and when to press the issue. He had no idea how long he paced the room for, but Link allowed it, not even fidgeting until Draco came to a stop in front of him.

“Ok,” he took a deep breath, his heart racing once again, although this time it was more out of nerves than lust. “Ok... Everyone knows my father is – _was_ – a Death Eater. He was given an order that he failed to follow through at the end of my fifth year at Hogwarts; I took the Mark that summer just after I turned 16 as a result. I had been chosen for a mission; one only I could accomplish apparently. I knew the only reason _he_ wanted me to do it was to punish my parents: I wasn’t supposed to succeed. ‘Kill Albus Dumbledore by the end of your sixth year at that pathetic excuse for a school, or your parents die.’ I used _Imperius_ on Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks to get her to obey whatever I said; I managed to curse Katie Bell and nearly kill Ron Weasley in the process, but still couldn’t kill him. Apparently I ‘lacked the willpower’ to cast the actual curse. Snape killed him instead, but you would’ve read all about that from the trials. In between sixth and seventh years I became acquainted with the _Cruciatus_ curse and how to use it effectively on Death Eaters who let Harry Potter slip through their fingers. _He_ was living in the Manor, using it as a base for the Death Eaters and werewolves to meet, so I was actually thankful to be sent off to school for my seventh year, despite the memories. Potter saved my life twice during the Battle, although I don’t really know why. The second was just by Stunning a Death Eater who was trying to kill me, but the first... Vince had conjured Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement...”

Draco found himself wrapped in Link’s strong arms as his voice faltered. This was the first time he had spoken to anyone about Crabbe’s death since the Aurors had questioned him after the Battle and it was just as overwhelming as he had feared it would be. However, now that he had started, he knew that he had to get the rest out. Pulling back so he could see Link’s face, he took a breath to continue, but was interrupted.

“It’s ok, Dray.”

Shock rippled through Draco as the fingers Link brushed along his cheek came back wet. “He fell and _died_ , Link. One of my best friends is dead because of my stupidity.”

“Fiendfyre is incredibly dangerous and unstable when cast by someone with the power to control it and is even worse when cast by someone who cannot.” Link paused, looking as though he were gathering his thoughts before continuing in a quiet voice. “I see the worst of the worst in here: accidental spell damage, creature attacks and the War casualties. All of those attacks and accidents pale, however, in the face of what _people_ do to each other. The absolute worst case we ever had in here was a six year old girl who had been abused by her father. I can’t go into details, but I can say that she died of her injuries; injuries caused by one of the Death Eaters now spending the rest of his life in Azkaban. You are _not_ a bad person. The very fact that you feel remorse for what you did – under coercion – proves that. It’s only natural for you to mourn your friend, but _please_ don’t blame yourself for what happened to him: it’s no more your fault than it is Potter’s for not grabbing him before the flames did.”

Draco’s eyes closed as he leant in, tightening his grip on Link’s shoulders to pull them closer together. “Thank you.”

“Cariad...”

A smile tugged at Draco’s lips at the whispered endearment, which seemed to come naturally to Link’s lips as he swayed forward to kiss Draco softly. He wondered briefly if Link even knew he had spoken out loud; or in Welsh again, for that matter. The comfort he was offering was irresistible to Draco. He had gotten out of the habit of expressing himself to others when his Aunt had taught him Occlumency, preferring to bottle his emotions up, but Link’s straightforward acceptance felt as though it had released something in his mind. He had no recollection of consciously making the decision, but a thought drifted through Draco’s mind as he surrendered himself to the kiss. _I’ll wait, if that’s what he wants; however long it takes._


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a few hours after the last chapter.
> 
> In other news, I just read 'My Immortal'... I believe my brain may have packed up and left in protest :/

“Harry... Harry... Harry...”

Harry gasped as his name was repeated over his heated skin, re-igniting the flame in his stomach that had been extinguished not half an hour earlier by an orgasm so powerful he had felt certain he would not be interested again for the rest of the night. His mate’s long, sweat-dampened hair trailed over his chest, teasing against his bruised nipples. Watching as Sev’s dark head moved slowly down his torso, Harry felt surprise flow through him when he felt the rough side of Sev’s tongue lap against the skin of his stomach. Harry could have sworn that his stomach was a little softer than it had been just a month before; that maybe he was beginning to show, even if it was just a little. Tiny electric shocks shot straight down his body, hardening his cock again as Sev nuzzled his belly. Large hands gripped his hips, holding him still as Sev pushed his face further into his stomach, breathing deeply.

“S-Sev?”

“You are... addictive. Your scent, the way you move, the feel of you in my hands...” He slid his hands beneath Harry’s arse at this and squeezed hard. “I have never and _will_ never again meet a man able to turn me on so thoroughly by their mere existence.”

Harry watched in fascination as fiery black eyes met his through the curtain of hair. He had never thought himself attractive in any way – although he had always liked the colour of his eyes – so having someone who desired him for simply being him was both strange and arousing. Especially when that someone was Sev, who had been the star of Harry’s first wet dream three years previously. The memory of that dream caused his cock to twitch against Sev’s chest, earning him a knowing smile. Harry’s fingers trailed through the strands of hair covering his mate’s face, pushing it back so he could see the desire burning in Sev’s eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but was prevented by a finger across his lips. Sev gave him another smile that sent shivers down his spine as he moved up Harry’s body. He removed his finger only to replace it with his mouth.

The kiss was slow, sending Harry’s head spinning with desire. His hands travelled slowly up Sev’s back, kneading the muscles softly as they went. Making the decision to try to go with the pace his mate set, Harry focussed some of his energy on keeping his hips from jerking, as that was where Sev’s hands ended up on a frequent basis in an attempt to keep Harry from gaining the friction he was usually desperate for. This time he wanted to feel everything: not just Sev’s lips and tongue working with his, but every touch, every caress, every single thing Sev wanted to do to him, Harry needed to feel it all.

He gasped as one of Sev’s hands trailed soft touches across his collarbone. Harry was fairly certain he knew what was coming and he had to prevent himself from simply grabbing Sev’s hand and moving it himself. His nipples had never been sensitive until he had become pregnant, but now he could not get enough of Sev taking one between his fingers and rolling the little nub. He had discovered that anything that rubbed against his chest sent little shivers of delight straight through him and had taken to placing numbing charms on his nipples during the day. Madame Pomfrey had assured him they would not stay that sensitive – that once his hormones settled down in his second trimester, so would his sensitivity – which Harry could not decide if he was happy about or not. A loud groan escaped him as the questing hand found what it was searching for, pinching his rapidly hardening nipple. Arching into the touch earned him a rumbling laugh from Sev, who broke the kiss to latch onto the other nipple. Harry’s knees bent automatically, allowing him to rock his hips against his mate’s stomach above him. His hands found their way into Sev’s hair, holding him in place as he nipped and sucked Harry’s overly sensitive nipple, speeding him along to his second orgasm of the night.

“Mmm... Se-e-e-v... Mmmore...” Even to Harry’s lust-clouded mind, that had not sounded much like English. “Oh, _fuck!_ ”

Thankfully, it appeared that Sev knew exactly what Harry had been trying to articulate, as he sent his free hand down in between them to grip Harry’s throbbing cock. Sev’s deep laugh vibrated through Harry’s chest as he clenched his thighs, squeezing them around Sev’s ribcage. Uncaring of how needy he sounded, Harry whined in pleasure, his system completely overloaded. The contrast on his chest between Sev’s dry, slightly roughened fingers and his warm, wet mouth had Harry’s breath coming in short, sharp gasps, causing Sev’s head to bob with each breath. The fact that that only made him bite down slightly harder with his sharp front teeth than he usually would allow himself to only enhanced Harry’s pleasure: the little jolts of pain seemed to combine with the lust overwhelming his senses to turn him into a squirming mess of nerve endings. A press of a finger against his perineum was what brought Harry to the edge.

“Oh Gods, Sev, I – I can’t –” Harry’s head felt as though it was going to explode if he was not allowed to come right then.

“Don’t...” The word was low and rough, almost grunted around Harry’s skin.

Harry jerked his hips, thrusting into the warmth of Sev’s hand. He saw stars sparking as he squeezed his eyes shut tight. The bliss of orgasm was right there, all he had to do was...

“ _Fuck!_ ” Harry yelped again as sharp teeth bit down viciously on his nipple.

His back arched further as he started to come, pleasure shooting through him starting from his abused nipples, fuelling the thick ropes of cum now beginning to coat his stomach and Sev’s chest. Sev’s fingers and mouth never left him as his body spasmed, pinching and nibbling at his battered flesh, enhancing his orgasm with sharp shocks of pleasure. Collapsing back against the bed once he was spent again, Harry was certain he heard a loud groan, but was uncertain if it came from him, Sev, or both of them. Surrendering himself to the oblivion that always overtook him post-orgasm, Harry smiled as he felt the touch of both cleansing and Healing charms. It had taken Harry about a month to convince Sev that it was ok for him to nip at Harry’s skin every now and then; that the momentary shock of pain actually enhanced whatever it was they were doing at the time. However, he knew that he would never be able to break Sev of his habit of Healing every little physical hurt Harry received, no matter how he had received it. He found himself thankful for the Healing charm when Sev lifted him up to rest on his chest, smiling against his mate’s skin as he settled himself comfortably.

*~*

“I want to meet him.”

Lincoln glanced over his shoulder to see one of his sisters, Gwendolyn, striding up behind him. He turned back to the railing surrounding the lower balcony of his parent’s home, staring out at the lights twinkling across the valley of their clan and ignoring her statement for the time being. The lights had always fascinated him when he was a child, as his grandmother had told him that they belonged to fairies that had made their homes in the trees. He was still mesmerised by them even now, despite having grown up to know that fairies were not the lovely little things that muggle children believed them to be. Leaning against the railing now, Lincoln could imagine Draco’s reaction to being brought here; the reflection of the lights in his platinum hair, shining in his eyes...

“I _said_ I want to meet him,” Gwen’s voice now held an edge of annoyance at being ignored.

“I heard you the first time,” Lincoln grinned as he looked over at her. If he was to be honest, he knew that the smile had not left his lips since Draco had pushed him away back in his office, telling him that if he did not leave now, Draco would keep him there the entire night. “But I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He had seen Gwen watching him through dinner and had known that she would try to interrogate him as soon as she could get him alone. There was only a year and a half between them and they had been close growing up, so it was easy for him to read her, even now. The way she flipped her long, wavy auburn hair out of her eyes with an impatient sigh told him that she was not going to let up until he gave her some answers. Their other sister, Elinor, was two years Gwen’s junior and while she was nowhere near as nosy as Gwen, Lincoln knew that she would be getting the entire transcript of this conversation from Gwen later on in the night after he had left. He often found himself wishing that he could have just _one_ secret that neither of his sisters could wheedle out of him.

“I haven’t seen you smile like this in years, so I know there’s a ‘him’ you’re not telling me about.”

“Ever think that maybe I’m just in a good mood?” He knew he would not be able to hide Draco from her forever, but a little longer would have been nice.

“With all three of my demon spawn as well as Ellie’s twins climbing all over you during dinner? No _way_ could a good mood last all the way through that. You’re looking forward to something and judging by that smile, I’d say it’s a guy.” She leant forward against the railing, her eyes – the same deep blue as his – sparkling in the moonlight. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll tell mum and _she’ll_ get it out of you.”

“Ok, ok you bloody sadist!” Lincoln backed up, raising his hands in mock-surrender. “But it’s only been three weeks, so there’s not that much to tell.”

“Three weeks and you’re already daydreaming about him? Interesting... Tell me more.”

Lincoln resumed his position at the railing, a little further down this time so he was out of easy reach. Glancing over at his sister, he decided to allow her to have her way, but he would only give her exactly what she asked for, nothing more. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, let’s start with a name, maybe a clan?”

“Draco,” was as far as he got before Gwen let out a dismayed noise. “What?”

“By ‘Draco’, do you mean ‘Malfoy’?”

“Yes,” he replied cautiously, knowing that he was probably about to be called to task for dating his employer’s son.

“The heir to the great, blond mega-fortune? Son of Lucius and Narcissa? The one that _Witch Weekly_ calls ‘one of the most eligible bad boys in the wizarding world’? _That_ Draco?”

“They called him _what_?”

Caught off-guard by the _Witch Weekly_ comment, Lincoln was unable to control the surge of possessive anger that burned in his chest. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, there was no way he could hope to suppress his dominant Elven instincts and right at that moment they were screaming for him to protect what was his. For, to his mind at least, Draco was his; his to ‘hold and protect against the outside world’, as his mother had put it to him when explaining the ways of the Wood Elf world. According to Lincoln’s instincts, Draco was in no way ‘eligible’ to anyone but him and, if he had not been forcing his Elven side to the back of his mind, the _Witch Weekly_ writers would be in a world of trouble. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, he glanced over to where Gwen still stood, watching him intently.

“Three weeks, you say? You’re possessive and overly protective of him already, so I’d say he has definite potential. What’s he smell like?” Gwen’s lips twitched up into a smirk as she watched his reactions to her words.

“Sandalwood, not that that makes any kind of difference; it doesn’t matter what he smells like.” Lincoln knew exactly what Gwen was getting it and knew he had to put a stop to those sorts of thoughts straightaway. A Wood Elf always carried an earthy scent to someone who wished to make them their mate. In return, if an Elf wished to bond with someone who did not have Elven blood, but had some kind of creature blood, then they smelled whatever attracted them the most on the skin of their potential mate. “I can’t bond with him.”

“You... what? You can’t bond with him? What do you mean?” Gwen’s brow wrinkled as she frowned at him in obvious confusion. “The Malfoy’s have Veela blood, right? Those rumours have to be true; how can they look like that and _not_ have Veela blood?”

Lincoln smiled at her indignation as he turned back to look out over the valley. “They don’t: Draco’s a full-blooded wizard. There’s not even the smallest amount of creature blood in their bloodlines; if there was don’t you think the entire wizarding world would know about it by now?”

Allowing the silence to stretch between them as Gwen absorbed that information, Lincoln watched as one of his parent’s neighbours moved around their house. Each of the houses in the clan’s valley was built onto the side of a tree, curving around with the natural shape of the tree so as not to harm the tree in any way. This method of housing was used in most Wood Elf clans and caused each of the rooms of the house to have a distinct semi-circular shape; it had taken Lincoln a long time to adjust to living in a muggle flat, with it’s square- and rectangular-shaped rooms. When he was a child, he had dreamed of building a home of his own in one of the trees nearby, but had slowly given up that dream as he got older and still went unclaimed. Not that it would be impossible for him to have a home here in the valley, it was just that he would much prefer for it to be a family home. He shook his head to clear the thoughts when he heard Gwen clear her throat.

“So what you’re saying is that he’s... what, just a boyfriend? Someone to fill in the time until something better comes along?” Her voice faltered when she saw the strength of the glare Lincoln sent her.

“Despite the fact that I can’t bond with him, he’s still mine, Gwen. Watch what you say about him, or so help me...”

He left the threat open, knowing that she knew he was perfectly willing – and able – to follow through on everything his words promised. He also conveniently chose to ignore the strength of the emotions prompting him to stop whatever it was she was going to say, as he was still attempting to suppress his natural inclination to give Draco everything he obviously wanted. Not wanting to confuse his own desire to have a proper mate with what he felt for Draco, Lincoln had not allowed himself to give in to the urge to take full advantage of Draco’s obvious willingness in the bedroom. It was something he was determined to deny himself until he was certain he could separate the confusing mix of emotions that flowed through him each time he looked at Draco. There was no way he was going to allow himself to believe that he was falling for Draco, only to have it turn out to be his own desire for a mate; life could be confusing enough without his emotions scrambling his mind as well. He was shaken out of his thoughts when Gwen let out a small sigh beside him.

“Does he make you happy?”

The ridiculously cheerful smile that had not been far from his lips the entire evening returned as memories of the past three weeks flooded through his mind. “He really does,” he replied softly, glancing over to see Gwen grinning at him.

“Fine, then... But just be careful, alright? This has the potential to blow up in your face in a number of ways; you being claimed not being the least.” She pushed away from the railing as the sound of a child’s high-pitched wail reached them from inside the house. “You could get fired if you end up dumping him, or even if he dumps you; you don’t know how vindictive he could be, with a father like that. Oh, and despite all that, I still want to meet him.”

Lincoln grinned at her retreating back, wondering how long he could leave it without her manipulating a situation to her own liking. _So much for keeping him to myself for a while..._

*~*

“Harry?”

Harry grinned as he stretched against his mate; he knew he would never grow tired of waking up sprawled across him like this. Doing a quick mental tally of his various aches and pains – not all of which he was upset about – Harry found himself extremely thankful that Sev had had the foresight to Heal the bruises he had created on Harry’s nipples earlier in the night. Opening his eyes to see Sev watching him, Harry felt surprise flutter through him at the darkness still surrounding them. It was rare for him to wake during the night, although it had been happening a little more often since the War ended; sometimes with nightmares and other times with panic attacks. His body was still heavy with fatigue, so he knew him being awake now could have nothing to do with ether of those reasons, so he had to figure that Sev would have an explanation ready.

“What’s the time?” He levered himself up onto his knees on the bed, glancing around the room as though he would be able to judge by the level of darkness in the room.

“Just after midnight.” There was a peculiar edge to Sev’s voice as he replied, causing Harry to stop his examination of the room to stare intently at his mate, worry flickering through him. “Come here.”

Harry moved up the bed, still frowning in concern. He waited for Sev to sit up before curling himself into the waiting arms and breathing deeply, inhaling the warm, spicy scent of Sev’s hair. His heavy eyelids closed of their own volition, but Harry did not allow himself the luxury of sleep in his mate’s arms just yet: the desire to discover what had caused that strange tone to enter Sev’s voice was too strong to allow sleep. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing... Ok, nothing you need to be worried about,” he amended when Harry glared at him. “I believe that it may be my turn to apologise.”

Harry relaxed immediately, the muscles in his shoulders loosening as he settled himself more comfortably. “No need: tonight was brilliant.”

“I shall never feel the need to apologise for doing any of _that_ to you, you dolt. In fact, I would not be averse to repeating some of it in the morning, but first there is a pressing matter I need to take care of.” Harry bit back his automatic response of ‘you don’t need to wait until morning’ at the serious tone to Sev’s voice. “There are certain actions of mine that I have been feeling guilt over that I must apologise for.”

Harry stilled completely – the hand that had been working slowly through Sev’s hair dropping down onto his shoulder – knowing how difficult this was going to be for his mate. No one liked to admit that they had been wrong, but Harry knew that Sev apologising for the way he had treated Harry during his school years went beyond feeling remorse for his actions. Sev’s Veela would most likely have been pushing him to do this for a while, Harry knew, as he had felt the exact same prompting himself for at least a month now, possibly even longer. The guilt Harry had felt over the way he had treated Sev before he knew that they were destined to be together had been gnawing at him and had only let up when he had finally apologised that evening.

“You don’t have to,” he whispered against Sev’s neck, simply because he knew that he did not need to hear the words.

“Yes, I do,” Sev sighed, running the hand that was not supporting Harry’s weight through Harry’s messy mop of hair. “Because I _am_ sorry for the way I treated you, Harry. I should have been able to see past my dislike of your father to the man you have grown to be. I have mistreated you and your friends, accused you of things you did not do – and of some things that you definitely _did_ do – in order to get you kicked out of the school, and have generally made your life miserable for the entire time I have known you. I honestly do not see how you could possibly forgive me for all of that, but I must be selfish enough to ask it of you.”

“Of course I can forgive you; you forgave me, right? I think we pretty much balance each other out when it comes right down to it.” Harry forced his eyes open so he could see Sev’s reaction to his words. “Besides, you were right about the Polyjuice potion in second year and the Gillyweed in fourth: they were both my fault, even if it wasn’t actually me who stole them.”

“Oh, believe me, Potter, I am fully aware of your transgressions where my ingredients cupboard is concerned,” Sev muttered, running his hand through Harry’s hair again.

Harry leant into the touch, his eyes closing again and a small smile gracing his lips. Taking the time to examine what little he could sense from Sev down the bond before he surrendered to sleep again, Harry discovered that the very fuzzy emotions actually felt lighter somehow. It was almost as though his mate had been worried that Harry would not be able to forgive him for the way he had treated him when he had been a student. Harry, of course, knew that that idea was ridiculous: they were bonded and therefore it was logical – to Harry’s mind at least – that it would be impossible for him to feel anything other than love for his mate. Not that he had had the courage to confess his feelings yet. _Ironic, that: the great, brave Gryffindor ‘hero’ being too afraid to admit that he has fallen hopelessly in love with his soul mate._ Opening his eyes, Harry found Sev watching him with avid fascination. He leant forward to press their lips together in a chaste kiss.

“Maybe you’d be interested in helping me commit a few more transgressions...”

“Not until tomorrow morning,” there was laughter in Sev’s voice as he rearranged them on the bed, Harry settled down on top of him once again. “You need sleep right now.”

“Hmm, sleep sounds good,” Harry murmured against Sev’s neck, his voice already thick with sleep.

It was entirely possible that if he had not been so completely exhausted from the combination of a tiring day and their energetic activities during the night, Harry would have been shocked at the possessiveness that flowed through him as he settled himself closer to Sev. He knew that, being the submissive in the relationship, it was not his job to be the protector. However, Harry knew that he would make damn sure that there was nothing in the world that would be able to drive a wedge between them; be it something from their past or something that came in the future, he was going to hold tight to his mate, no matter who or what came along.


	11. Chapter 11

_Six weeks! Six bloody, fucking weeks! No, correction: six long, incredibly frustrating,_ non- _fucking weeks._ Draco sighed as he examined himself in the full-length mirror in Link’s bathroom. In the month and a half they had been together, Draco had managed to get back into relatively the same sort of shape he had been in before the War had taken its toll on his appearance. Apparently, all the running around he did while helping to clean the school up had had some beneficial effects. He ran his hands down his lightly muscled torso, admiring the movement of muscle beneath his fingers. Both of his parents had always encouraged him to take care of his appearance and it had been jarring looking in the mirror for nearly two years and seeing bags under his eyes and his ribs poking out instead of the light muscle structure that most Seekers developed. Even his hair appeared to be slightly shinier and softer than it had been back during his Trial, when the papers had taken all of those disgusting pictures of him looking like death warmed over. He briefly wondered just how Potter and Severus – as he had been asked to call him – had managed to keep their relationship out of the papers, before remembering that Potter and Shacklebolt were apparently thick as thieves. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thoughts – _who wants to be thinking of Potter when they’re naked?_ – Draco returned to his examination of his body. He turned so he could see the muscles in his thighs as he stretched his legs. _I honestly don’t know how Link could_ not _want me: this is the best I have looked in years!_

“Indulging your vanity, Dray?”

Choosing to ignore the insult, Draco focussed instead on something that had been niggling at him for a while now. “‘Dray’? No one has ever felt the need to mutilate my name before...”

His words were cut off with a hiss as Link’s arms circled around him from behind and he nuzzled into the crook of Draco’s neck. “You call me ‘Link’,” he pointed out in a slightly muffled voice.

“Mmm, Link suits you. Dray sounds like one of those muggle bands that you’re always listening to.”

“That would be _Dr._ Dre and he’s not a band, he’s a rapper and producer. Rumour says that he’s going to be working with Eminem.” Link’s voice became even more muffled as he trailed his lips along the side of Draco’s neck.

“Oh, come on, you’ve got to be shitting me. Even _I_ know that an M &M is a chocolate.” If he were to be honest, chocolate and lollies were the only muggle things that Link had introduced Draco to that he had made any effort to memorise.

Link’s quiet laugh vibrating against his neck was a bit of a shock but not as much as the flash of amused violet eyes reflected next to him in the mirror. “Well, no one can say I didn’t try.” Link pressed a kiss behind Draco’s ear before moving off back into the flat. “Come on, princess: you have to get dressed if you want to go shopping today.”

_I think I may have preferred ‘Dray’._ With a last glance in the mirror, Draco trailed into the bedroom, a small smile on his face. They had slipped into a comfortable routine over the past month and a half: Draco dragged Link out for a proper meal during the day three times a week and they spent their weekends together, dancing at the Lucky, wandering around Diagon, or simply lazing around Link’s flat, enjoying the feeling of being together.

Link had slowly been introducing Draco to various muggle things because they were such a big part of Link’s life. Draco now knew how to operate Link’s television and VCR and had discovered he had an interest in certain programmes. They had watched a lot of reruns of both Doctor Who and Red Dwarf and Draco found himself fascinated with the idea that people actually made these shows to be broadcast weekly as entertainment. As he had shown Draco the various incarnations of the Doctor, it had become obvious that Link had a bit of a crush on Paul McGann, the man who had played the eighth Doctor in a telemovie a few years previously. Draco had consequently hidden the video behind a stack of movies Link rarely watched, not wanting to see that look in his eyes when he was looking at anyone other than Draco himself. He knew it had been a childish move – that this was no different than Draco having had a crush on the lead singer of the Weird Sisters during his school years – but it was done now and even if Link did work out that it was him who hid it, he was not going to admit where the movie was. He was startled out of his thoughts by a small noise from the doorway.

“You look beautiful. Can we go?” Draco huffed out a laugh at the slight exasperation in Link’s voice. “You know, I always thought one of the added bonuses of being gay was that I missed out on the whole ‘waiting for the woman to get ready’ part of the straight relationship; now I see what they’re all complaining about.”

Draco grinned as he stood and crossed the room to fall into Link’s waiting arms. He draped his own arms around Link’s neck and buried his nose into a clump of dreads that had come loose. “You like the way I look.”

“Mmm,” was Link’s only response as he tightened his arms around Draco’s waist, holding him securely.

“And you wouldn’t want me to change,” Draco whispered just before the breathless squeeze of Apparition could cut the words off. They landed in what sounded like a side alley just off Diagon, still wrapped in each other’s arms.

“You’re everything I want, Dray; you know that,” Link murmured in response before claiming Draco’s lips in a soft kiss.

Draco hummed in pleasure, revelling in the slightly naughty feeling of making out in public. Having spent his entire life living by the extremely strict rules his parents had imposed on him, it was liberating to finally be able to do things that most people his age did. The fact that he got to do them with someone who he was certain would make others jealous only enhanced the naughtiness of the feeling.

“Wait, Liam, is that...?”

“Uncle Link!”

“Eww, is he _kissing_ someone?”

Draco pulled back at the sound of the excited – and slightly disgusted – high-pitched squeal. He glanced over to the entrance of the alley, where he could see two young, red-headed boys grinning at them, one of whom had eyes the exact same shade of blue as the man in his arms, who was currently turning a deep shade of red. “Ah, Link?”

“That would be two of my nephews,” he explained in a quiet voice before backing off enough to kneel down to face them eye-to-eye. They ran into his arms, giggling happily when he stood with one of them on his back and the other dangling from his arms.

“Who’s he?” Draco could not help smiling at the pointed question.

“That’s Draco, my boyfriend. Draco, this is Dylan,” he turned so the older of the two – the one on his back – could hold out his hand for Draco to shake. Draco took it with a good approximation of solemnity, as he could tell that this was an action that had been taught to the boy as being ‘polite’. “And this is Liam,” Link continued, jiggling the boy in his arms, setting off another wave of giggles. Liam appeared to be shyer than his brother, as he buried his face into Link’s chest rather than look Draco in the eye. “Where’s your mum?”

“Over there,” Dylan responded immediately, pointing towards Eeylops Owl Emporium. “Does she know you have a new boyfriend? I bet she doesn’t, or else we would’ve known about it. I’m gonna tell her.”

“No, you aren’t: I am!”

Both boys struggled until Link allowed them down, then raced off the second they hit the ground. Nerves fluttering through his stomach, Draco moved over to wrap an arm around Link’s waist as he stood, shaking his head. He let out a surprised noise as Draco traced a finger down the side of his face.

“‘Boyfriend’. You said ‘boyfriend’,” Draco watched Link’s reaction closely, unable to prevent the huge smile that felt as though it was going to crack his face in two.

“I, uh... Look, I know we haven’t talked about it, but...”

The worry in Link’s eyes caused Draco to lean in and brush their lips together, his mind drifting on a wave of happiness. “Yes,” he whispered, still grinning like an idiot.

“‘Yes’? You mean you’re...?”

“Of course I am, you twit,” Draco laughed. “I definitely don’t want anyone else.”

Link grinned as he circled his hands around Draco’s waist, pulling him close enough to trail kisses along his jaw. Draco pulled back a little so he could see Link’s eyes dancing with joy before he kissed him properly. Adrenalin pumped through Draco’s veins as his tongue slid over Link’s teeth. This is what he had been awaiting for the past six weeks: confirmation that Link felt that they could be something other than a summer fling. _Not that there’s been that much ‘flinging’ going on..._ The slight frustration he had felt earlier in the morning evaporated in the face of knowing that this was not going to just be a fleeting thing; that they at least had a chance to try to build a future together.

“See, I told you I saw him kissing someone!”

Draco pulled back again with an embarrassed gasp as he heard one of Link’s nephews close to him. Glancing down, he saw Dylan grinning up at him, completely oblivious as to what he had just walked in on. He attempted to step out of the circle of Link’s arms, but Link just slid his hand down so that it was resting almost casually on the small of Draco’s back, as though they had not just been busted making out by his nephew for the second time in five minutes. A quick look over to Link gave him a glimpse of a fire in his eyes that had Draco blushing to the roots of his hair. He ducked his head as Link flashed him a grin. Slight pressure on the small of his back urged him forward into Diagon before Link’s hand moved to lace their fingers together.

“Gwen, fancy seeing you lot here. Quite the coincidence.” If they had been in one of those muggle cartoons Link was so fond of, Draco was fairly certain there would currently be a flashing sign above his head that read ‘sarcasm’ in bright letters.

Risking a glance up as he felt the blush receding, Draco got his first good look at Link’s sister. She was easily three or four inches shorter than him, with dark auburn hair the same shade as her sons. Her eyes – the exact same shade as Link’s – sparkled with humour as she watched them. A fleeting look back to Link confirmed what Draco expected: the same level of humour was dancing in his eyes as hers. They looked so alike that Draco was unable to help looking between the two of them and thinking uncharitably that those features looked much better on Link than they did on Gwen.

“You must be Draco,” she smiled at him after sending a quelling look to Link. “Since my brother’s apparently too rude to do the introductions: I’m Gwen, and these are Dylan, Liam and Owen.”

“Pleased to meet you, Gwen,” he responded automatically, thankful that his good breeding kicked in to override his surprise at Link’s sister knowing who he was. He smiled when she offered him her left hand to shake, meaning that he would not have to relinquish Link’s hand.

“Ah, so he hasn’t told you a thing about me then? Good,” she grinned before moving off down the street, pushing the pram that held her youngest, obviously expecting them to follow along behind her. Draco glanced over to see Link shaking his head as they moved through the crowd.

“I’m going to go ahead and apologise beforehand for whatever she puts you through today. She’s been waiting about three weeks to be able to ‘accidentally’ run into us somewhere.”

A warm feeling travelled through Draco’s chest to settle in his stomach at Link’s words. ‘Boyfriend’... ‘us’... Link was subtly trying to kill him, he was sure of it. He squeezed his hand to properly get Link’s attention. “You told her about me – about us – three weeks ago?”

“Yeah,” Link surprised Draco by replying immediately. “Well... She may have had to force it out of me. I wanted to keep you to myself a little while longer.”

_That’s it, it’s official: I’m dying,_ Draco thought as his stomach fluttered pathetically. _How,_ how, _could he say things like that and not want –_

“Ok, boys, here we are: Fortescue’s,” Draco was shocked out of his thoughts at the sound of Gwen’s voice just ahead of him. “Link, you can get ice-cream with the boys while I get to know your new man, right?” Draco’s stomach now felt as though it had dropped down into his boots as Gwen shot him an assessing look.

“She’s not as scary as she likes to think,” Link murmured as he turned Draco to face him. He moved close enough to casually drape his arm across Draco’s front to rest the hand Draco did not currently have in a death grip on his hip. “Promise not to hate me by the end of the day?”

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm his fluttering nerves at the prospect of the interrogation he was obviously about to undergo, Draco managed to grin at Link. “Bring me the biggest ice-cream you can find and I’ll forgive almost anything.”

Link’s laugh followed Draco as he trailed after Gwen to the large booths at the back of the store. Draco took the time to watch her as she slid into the booth and came to the decision that Link was probably right, that she really could not be as scary as she came across. At least, that was what he was desperately telling himself as she eyed him with those startlingly familiar eyes. They travelled down from his face to rest briefly on his left forearm before flicking over to the menu as Draco settled himself into the other side of the booth.

“I refuse to hide it, if that’s what you want to ask about.” He had come to the decision just before his Trial that he would never hide from his past mistakes, even if that meant being ostracised by certain members of society. “I have owned up to and have begun to make reparations for my mistakes, but I refuse to allow them to shame me anymore than they already have.”

“Actually, no: I know that Link wouldn’t have chosen to be with someone as inherently evil as some of the papers have tried to portray you.” She met his eyes with confidence and smiled. “There’s nothing that I really want to ask you at all. What I do want to do is give you a warning. If you hurt my brother in _any_ way, I will do my level best to make sure you are as miserable as it is in my power to make you. He may come across as confident and strong, but he’s been burned before because he trusted the wrong man and if you prove to be the same type of person...”

She trailed off, staring at Draco intently. Images of subtle little things had begun flashing through Draco’s mind: Link’s disbelieving reaction to being called ‘intelligent’; numerous occasions he had reacted negatively to Draco’s telling him how attractive he found him; even the simple fact that he always covered up completely when wandering around his own flat. Frowning as the pieces slowly fell into place in his mind – forming an image he was uncomfortable with – Draco glanced over to where Link was laughing with his nephews.

“What happened?” The words came out low, almost a growl.

“Nothing,” she began, but halted when Draco shot her a look.

“Don’t you lie to me: if something happened, I deserve to know.” He held her gaze until she nodded, then turned back to watching Link playing with his nephews.

“He had a bad breakup, that’s all; it wasn’t anything very serious. Link’s never been as confident in himself as he probably should be and that just made it slightly more difficult for him to trust himself when it comes to the men he dates. He obviously likes you a _lot_ , though: he hasn’t felt the need to hide anyone from me since we were teenagers.” She paused to eye him speculatively, allowing Draco time to interrupt her.

“It _has_ only been six weeks,” he murmured, feeling the need to clarify that point, although he did not know why.

“Sometimes, that’s all it takes,” Draco’s head snapped back to her sharply at this, but Gwen continued before he could question her. “So, the whole point of this is: I want you to promise me you won’t hurt him. I know that people break up, and I’m not saying that that won’t happen, but I need you to promise me not to hurt him, ok?”

“Honestly, I know exactly where you’re coming from: I wouldn’t like it if I was in your position either. But I have had so many discussions with him where he had the opportunity to just up and leave, but he hasn’t.” His head turned back to watch Link at the counter automatically as he continued quietly. “I gave him the opportunity to back out on the first proper date we went on and his only response was to look at me with puppy-dog eyes, like I had scolded him and he didn’t know why. I’ll admit that I allowed him to chase me, rather than doing the chasing myself, mostly to give him the chance to leave, but he hasn’t showed any signs of wanting to. Like I said, it’s been six weeks; if he was going to get sick of me and find someone better for him, then he would have by now, right?” He finally dragged his gaze away from Link to find Gwen smiling at him. “What I’m trying to say is yes, I’ll make that promise, because it’s what he deserves. Anyone willing to give an ex-Death Eater a chance is worth at least that.”

“I think I see it now,” was as far as she got in response before her sons came rushing over, dripping ice-cream all over everything.

Draco shifted over into the corner of the booth as Link followed along behind the boys, ice-cream bowls floating beside him. Draco grinned as the three boys clambered into the booth beside their mother. Dylan – the eldest – was watching Draco with what appeared to be interest, but a large bowl of ice-cream landed in front of Draco before he could examine the look further.

“The largest chocolate sundae they make,” Link announced with a grin as he settled down next to Draco in the booth. Before Draco could even start to make inroads into the huge mound of ice-cream, Dylan ducked under the table to come up in between he and Link.

“Uncle Link says we can call you Dray,” the boy declared with a wide, strawberry-smeared smile.

“Does he now?” Draco turned to Link, who was watching the interaction with a smirk. “And he believes this to be a good idea, does he?”

“That he does,” Link grinned at him over Dylan’s head, sending Draco’s stomach fluttering again.

Shock ran through Draco as Gwen joined in with Link’s laughter when he scowled at his ice-cream. It was becoming obvious he was in for a very long day.

*~*

“Are you sure you have to go?”

Lincoln pressed close to Draco, who was leaning back against the wall of the small hallway in Lincoln’s flat. They had seen Gwen and the boys off not ten minutes before and Lincoln had brought Draco back to the flat in the hopes that he would forget all about having to go back to help his mother start to clear out the Manor for the Ministry. Draco’s willing acceptance of his crazy family, as well as his reaction to Lincoln unthinkingly calling him his boyfriend, had felt as though it had settled matters for Lincoln. Judging solely by his current flushed and breathless state, Draco was not one to be scared off by eccentric relatives, nor by a slip of the tongue and – quite frankly – Lincoln was sick of denying himself. He was certain that he could tell the difference between what his nature told him he needed and what he felt for Draco and was more than ready to act on those feelings. If only he could convince Draco to stay the night...

“I promised Mother I’d help her f-for a-a-a...” Draco trailed off with a groan as his head fell backwards, exposing his throat to Lincoln’s teeth. “This isn’t fair.”

“I want you to stay here and I know how much you like this,” Lincoln chuckled against the pulse point throbbing beneath his lips. “Why should I play fair?”

Draco’s only response was a low moan as he dragged his nails down Lincoln’s back. Lincoln grinned, but pulled back, needing to make absolutely certain.

“Was that a yes?”

Draco’s head fell forward onto Lincoln’s shoulder with what sounded very much like a whimper. “No, it can’t be,” he whispered, regret laced thickly through his voice. “Tonight, though, I promise. This should only take a few hours and then I’ll be back.”

Lincoln sighed as he gathered Draco’s unresisting body to him, holding him close. He felt so good pressed against his chest, so right; maybe _too_ right. _Is it possible to be too perfect for each other?_ A grin stretched across his face at the ridiculous thought; his mind always went a bit loopy when he was exposed to that intoxicating scent that drifted up from Draco’s collar. His head swam as he took a deep breath, knowing that he would never again be able to associate the scent of sandalwood with anyone other than Draco.

“Meet me at the Lucky tonight, then.” His voice was rough, sending shocks through him and he automatically cleared his throat, and tried again. “8 o’clock. You should be done by then, right?”

“Mmm,” Draco moved to brush their lips together, a hungry look in his eyes. “You promise to dance with me?”

Lincoln bit back a groan at this. He had experienced Draco’s version of dancing on numerous occasions. By the way he moved to the music, Lincoln figured that he had to have been trained to dance properly by a professional when he was a child. It had given him incredible rhythm, which would have been brilliant if they were waltzing, but Lincoln’s problem was the way in which Draco used that rhythm. He highly doubted that the – no doubt incredibly expensive – instructor the Malfoy’s would have hired to teach their son would approve of him grinding up against Lincoln on the dance floor of what Lincoln freely admitted was a dingy London pub. Especially dressed the way Draco now dressed every time they went out at night. _You have no one but yourself to blame for that,_ his conscience nagged at him, knowing that he had been the one to introduce Draco to tight-fitting jeans.

“What you do isn’t dancing.”

“Coming from the only person I have ever met who believes that headbanging should be considered a form of dance, I take that as a compliment,” Draco laughed against Lincoln’s lips. “Besides, I know you like it.”

Lincoln hummed in reluctant agreement, knowing he had absolutely no leg to stand on. It was utterly amazing to him that Draco was able to turn him on so incredibly quickly and just the sight of him in those damnable jeans was sometimes enough to set his mind on a track that lead to him taking Draco back to the flat a lot earlier than they had originally planned. _Not that that’s a bad thing..._

“How long until you have to go?”

“Ten minutes ago.”

“Go then,” Lincoln forced himself to step back from Draco. “8 o’clock tonight. If you’re even a second late...”

“You can spank me,” Draco grinned before disappearing with a soft ‘pop’, leaving Lincoln with nothing to occupy the next few hours except his overactive imagination.


	12. Chapter 12

“Draco, darling, will you _please_ pay attention?”

Draco’s head snapped up at the exasperation in his mother’s voice. He was supposed to be helping her choose the worst of the worst things that the family had collected over the years so the Ministry could confiscate and destroy them. This would usually have not been a problem, as Draco had a vested interest in exactly what was left in his family estate after the Ministry cleaned it out. However, his mind kept drifting back to a small flat a few blocks’ walk from the Leaky Cauldron in London and the man waiting for him. He was absolutely certain that tonight was going to finally be the night that Link allowed him past those barriers he had put up and the resulting excitement and adrenalin rush had had him nervy the entire afternoon.

“Sorry, Mother,” he mumbled, offering a small smile that he hoped would discourage her from questioning him further.

“Do not mumble, dear; you were raised better than that.”

Draco smiled properly then. He glanced over to his mother, who was seated on one of the straight-backed chairs at the dining room table in Malfoy Manor, surrounded by artefacts that had been collected by generations of Blacks as well as Malfoys. Most people under the circumstances that she had been placed under over the past few months would have fallen apart: betraying the master her husband had followed almost his entire life; saving the life of ‘The Boy Who Lived’ by lying to said psychopath; almost losing both her mate and her son to Azkaban; and then losing most of the possessions that her family had collected over the years as they all apparently had some kind of connection to dark magic. Not Narcissa Malfoy, though. She had gathered her strength and got on with the job at hand. It was one of the things that Draco admired most about her: her ability to hold everything together when it all seemed to be falling apart.

“Are you going to tell me who it is you have been thinking about all afternoon?”

Draco’s eyes closed of their own volition as he shook his head in slight disbelief. That was another admirable thing about his mother: her ability to see straight through any kind of pretence Draco put up. Despite the fact that he had been trained in Occlumency by his Aunt Bella, Narcissa seemed to be able to read him like a book. He had been trying to not allow his mind to wander, he really had. His problem was, however, that Link had not displayed that kind of desperation for him to spend the night in the entire six weeks they had been together, leading to Draco fantasising about exactly what would happen once they were together again. _Not that I’ll allow him his own way straight away though. I may just have to make him wait a little; see how he likes it..._

“That transparent, am I?”

“Draco, despite the fact that the little amount of Veela blood you inherited from me gave you my fiery temper, you are in fact very like your father in many ways. I have seen that exact same dreamy look that has been in your eyes all afternoon many times over. I used to think that it was caused by my allure affecting your father in subtle ways, but I had to change that opinion when I saw you daydreaming over the past few weeks. Whoever it is that you have been thinking about has been distracting you for a while now.”

A strange feeling washed over Draco as he realised that his mother was avoiding saying the word ‘she’ when referring to who it was that had been distracting him. He glanced up to see her watching him with a small smile, causing Draco to wonder if she had also worked out that he was not just interested in women.

“Mother, I –” He paused, not knowing how to finish the sentence. ‘I am dating a man’? ‘I have dated more men than women’? ‘I don’t think I’m gay, but...’?

“Would you look at that; it’s half-seven already!” Draco watched as his mother waved her wand, Banishing the mess in front of both of them, then stood and moved to stand beside the chair Draco was sitting in. “I just want you to be happy. If you have found someone who makes you so, then you will have my full support, no matter who they are. Now, I would assume that you have plans for tonight, so, you don’t want to keep your partner waiting.”

Draco watched her go, knowing that he probably should not have been shocked at just what his mother was able to work out. Allowing his mind to drift over to the subject he had been valiantly trying to avoid for the past few hours, Draco stood and almost ran up the stairs to his suite to get ready for what was promising to be a very interesting night.

*~*

Lincoln could not decide if he wanted Draco to be late for their date or not. On one hand, if he was on time, Lincoln would get to see him earlier. However, on the other, his mind could not let go of Draco’s parting words to him that afternoon: ‘you can spank me’. He had never been one for punishment or pain kinks – he saw too much pain at work, why would he want it in his private life? – but the image had not left him the entire afternoon. He paced up and down in front of the door to the Lucky, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the bouncer and wishing he had thought to wear his jacket so he had something to do with his hands. A small ‘pop’ behind him had him spinning around, looking for the flash of Draco’s pale blond hair.

“Sweet Merlin,” was as far as he got before Draco pulled him into a bruising kiss.

His head swam as he trailed his hands down Draco’s sides. Draco filled out the blue-grey shirt Lincoln loved on him perfectly now that he had managed to get back to the shape he apparently liked. Lincoln privately thought that he had been right: that all it had taken was a little pampering. His fingers traced along the low-slung waistband of Draco’s jeans before moving to settle further down: one bunched the bottom of the shirt in his fist, the other slid down to grasp hold of Draco’s arse. He laughed as Draco let out a soft moan.

“Miss me that much, huh?” Draco was smirking as he pulled back, sending Lincoln’s stomach fluttering. That expression fell so easily onto Draco’s lips that it seemed almost second nature.

“Are you absolutely certain you want to be here?” He knew that once Draco got an idea in his head that it was almost impossible to dislodge it, but he also knew he had to try. “We could just go back to the flat right now and forget about all of this...”

“You promised,” Draco’s eyes opened wide as he looked at Lincoln through his lashes.

“I did nothing of the sort. In fact, I quite distinctly remember trying to discourage you from coming here in the first place.” Lincoln knew he was fighting a losing battle; that he was on the verge of giving Draco whatever he wanted and that Draco knew it as well.

Draco pressed closer, grinning as Lincoln’s hand tightened its grip on the bottom of his shirt. “Come dance with me.”

Lincoln smiled, his mind flashing back to their first date, before allowing Draco to drag him into the club. The band was just finishing up a faster song that had the dance floor filled with people all pressed together in a sweaty clump. Lincoln blinked to adjust his eyes to the gloom, trusting Draco to lead him through the crowds of people to their accustomed booth. Surprise rippled through him when Draco instead took him straight into the middle of the dance floor, practically elbowing people out of the way in the process. He hesitated for a fraction of a second as the band started up something slower before wrapping his arms around Draco’s waist, pulling him close as he began to sway in time to the music. Losing himself to the rhythm of the song, Lincoln smiled as his world narrowed down to the man in his arms.

“Thank you for this afternoon,” he murmured against Draco’s lips as he leant in.

“For getting you all hot and bothered and then leaving? Anytime,” Draco smirked, sending Lincoln’s nerves fluttering.

“Smart arse. No, seriously, there’s not that many men who can manage Gwen as well as you did when she’s in that kind of mood.” He reached to brush Draco’s fringe out of his eyes, enjoying the feeling of having the soft strands slide through his fingers. “You didn’t run, you didn’t argue and you didn’t accuse me of being insane. You have no idea how much that means; that you can get along with my family at their worst... I’ve never met anyone who could simply accept them like that before.”

“Good,” Draco surprised him by responding forcefully. “The more unique I am to you, the less likely you are to let me go.”

Lincoln let out a startled laugh as Draco spun in his arms, pressing his back up against Lincoln’s front. The tempo of the next song was a little faster and Lincoln was unable to prevent a hiss of pleasure as Draco wriggled his hips in time to the music. Pressed up against each other as they were, he could feel every little movement, which is what he figured Draco intended. There seemed to be something of an exhibitionist streak to Draco’s personality that came out whenever they had an audience and this was one of the ways he satisfied it. Here in the middle of the dance floor, with the flashing lights turning his hair different colours, wearing a tight-fitting shirt of a colour that gave his pale skin a strange glow and obviously lost to the rhythm of the music, Draco garnered a _lot_ of attention. The fact that he had managed to pull this incredibly handsome, charming, enticing man still stunned Lincoln every time they were together. Draco tended to brush off all the attention he received in favour of focussing solely on Lincoln, driving him slowly insane with subtle movements that no one else would have noticed. Lincoln leant down to latch onto the pulse throbbing in Draco’s throat, uncaring that they were putting on a display for anyone who cared to watch. The regulars at the Lucky were used to watching one or the other of them making out with various partners and Lincoln figured it was about time he got in on the action as well. He crossed his arms across Draco’s stomach to rest on his hips, moving with them as they swayed in time to the beat that thumped through his veins. It became obvious that they would have to leave soon when Draco’s head fell back against Lincoln’s shoulder, his eyes closed and his breathing shallow. Lincoln caught a glimpse of some of the looks they were getting from the other patrons – some disgusted, some obviously curious – and was unable to prevent himself from grinning at them as he licked a stripe up the side of Draco’s neck, tasting the saltiness of his sweat. The moan Draco let out had Lincoln’s blood rapidly travelling south and he was thankful that Draco’s body hid his from prying eyes. Shock registered somewhere in the back of his mind when Draco spun around again to face him, his hips still swaying.

“Link,” Draco whispered as he squeezed closer, allowing Lincoln to feel his hardening cock pressed against his hip. “I want you – _need_ you – now. _Please_.”

The kiss Draco pressed against Lincoln’s lips was just the icing on the cake for him. To hear those words from Draco right at that particular moment, the very day that he had _finally_ sorted out what he felt from what he needed, it felt as though the Fates were on his side. Just this once everything was going to go right; destiny was going to work _for_ him, rather than against him and he was going to get exactly what he wanted. Wrapping his arms securely around Draco’s waist stilled his still-swaying hips, allowing Lincoln a few seconds to breathe before he took them both back to his flat in one fluid motion.

*~*

Draco’s head was swimming as he was manoeuvred through the door to Link’s bedroom. He had sworn to himself that he was not going to pressure or guilt Link into anything that he did not want, or was unready for, but had been unable to resist asking. The combination of the thrumming beat of the bass vibrating through his entire body with Link’s strong arms enclosing him in warmth had been too much for Draco and he had found himself asking – he refused to call it begging – for what he had wanted for at least a month now. It appeared as though he was going to get it now and he was almost shivering in anticipation. His shirt went flying just before the backs of his knees hit the edge of the bed and he sat down with a soft grunt. Link flashed him a predatory grin before moving to kneel either side of his thighs, pressing him down into the bed as he kissed him senseless. Draco’s hands moved restlessly, trailing down along Link’s sides before slipping beneath the t-shirt he was wearing and pulling it up as far as it would go. Unwilling to break the kiss, Draco dug his nails into the hard muscles along Link’s back, hard enough to mark but not enough to draw blood. He tightened his grip until Link gave in and lay down properly, only just supporting his own weight on his elbows. Draco let out a deep moan. He had always loved the feeling of having someone on top of him, of being surrounded by someone else, as it gave him a sense of security at a time when his mind tended to be occupied elsewhere. The very fact that he had been made to wait for this one only made the sensation the more delicious. Wrapping his arms around Link’s back to hold him there, Draco focussed more on the shocks of pleasure racing through his body, hardening his cock even further against Link’s hip.

“Gods, Dray,” Link moaned, his voice rough, as Draco slid one hand down to brush along the waistband of his jeans.

Taking advantage of the break in the kiss, Draco tugged the shirt up over Link’s head. He reached up to pull Link down again, but was prevented by Link bracing his arms above him.

“Move up the bed,” Link commanded, grinning at the eyebrow Draco raised at him. “I’m too old to be doing this on the end of the bed.”

Laughing as the meaning of Link’s words sunk in, Draco shimmied up the bed, holding his arms out as Link followed him. “You’re only 26.”

“Nearly 27; that’s nearly 30,” Link mumbled with a small smile as he fell into Draco’s embrace, running a hand down his side.

“That’s still not –” His words were cut off with a gasp as Link’s hand ghosted over his hip, his wrist brushing over Draco’s throbbing cock.

“You are unbelievably beautiful.”

Draco grinned as surprise ran through him at the unexpected compliment. He pulled Link back down into a soft kiss, waving his hand to Vanish the rest of the clothing separating them. The second that they were skin to skin, Link let out a moan that had Draco’s head spinning with lust once again. All thoughts of responding to Link’s comments flew out of Draco’s mind as his knees bent automatically, allowing Link to settle himself between his legs. Frowning as he felt the heat building up in him faster than it had before, Draco had to try to rein his desire in as his hips jerked against Link’s stomach. Forcing some of his attention back to his rapidly deteriorating control, Draco arched his back in an attempt to move things along faster. Link broke the kiss long enough to Summon the lube from the bedside drawers, giving Draco the opportunity to lock his legs around Link’s waist properly: now that he had him here, there was no way he was letting go anytime soon.

“Dray,” Link whispered as his fingers traced all over Draco’s entrance.

“Yes, please,” Draco responded mindlessly, his eyes squeezing shut as he felt the pressure of a finger entering him. “Gods, Link, yes.”

Draco’s head fell back as far against the pillow as he could get as he arched his back, leaving his neck exposed to Link’s teeth. The feeling of Link creating hickeys on the sensitive skin of his neck had Draco moaning for more, his hands scrambling for purchase on the sweaty skin of Link’s back. A second finger entering him caused Draco’s hips to jerk uncontrollably as the fingers scissored inside him. It had been a long time since anyone had stretched him open – too long in his opinion – and he had been prepared for it to hurt a lot more than it was at that moment. The real burn started when Link slid a third lubed-up finger inside him. Draco hissed in pain: Blaise had not needed a third finger and he had never bothered with toys of any kind, so this was the first time he had been so open to anyone.

“Shh, Dray; it’s alright,” Link murmured against his lips as Draco screwed his face up involuntarily, the rush of pain overwhelming him momentarily. “It won’t hurt for long, I swear.”

“Kiss me.”

Link apparently took Draco’s words for the command that they were and obeyed immediately. Having something else to focus on helped with the pain and Draco threw himself into the kiss with enthusiasm. It took a few minutes for him to adjust to the intrusion, but it was Link angling his fingers to brush against Draco’s prostate that changed the pain to pleasure. Draco’s hips bucked upwards as electric jolts rushed through him. He broke the kiss with a deep groan, his head tipping backwards to thrash against the pillow.

“Please,” he gasped, turning glazed eyes on Link, who was staring down at him in wonder. “Please, Link... I – I need...”

Draco whimpered as the fingers left him, but kept his eyes fixed on what Link was doing, watching as he spread lube all over his throbbing cock. Draco’s breath hitched as he heard the soft moan Link gave when he settled himself against Draco’s entrance. Braced above him, Link leant down to brush their lips together gently before pushing forward slowly. Draco held his breath against the intrusion, not making a sound as Link entered him. The breath shuddered out of him as he felt Link settle against him, holding still so Draco had time to adjust to him. Reaching up to tangle his fingers through the damp clumps of dreads hanging down above him, Draco dragged Link into a kiss, needing the distraction again. Draco focussed on how incredibly good it felt to finally have someone inside him again as their tongues battled; he had not realised how much he had missed the feeling. He felt Link’s arms beginning to shake just before his hips pulled out and thrust back in.

“Oh, Gods yes,” Draco groaned, his back arching as pleasure shot through him. His eyes flew open when Link froze above him. “Link?” He was staring down at Draco with an expression of complete awe, as though he had never heard his voice before. Draco traced a fingertip along his jaw, following a trail of sweat. “What’s wrong?”

“Talk to me, Dray,” he whispered in response, seeming to recover from whatever-it-was. “I need to hear you.”

Draco laughed as Link began to move again, burying his face into the crook of Draco’s neck. “You are the most... surprising... wonderful... irritating... amazing... stubborn... _sexiest_ man I have... ever met...”

The words were punctuated by little gasps and hisses as Link moved on top of him, sending tremors of pleasure through him. Draco tilted his head and began to nibble softly on the shell of Link’s ear when he realised he was beyond speech, the words forming in his mind, but getting lost on the way to his mouth. Link’s hips stuttered when Draco nipped at his earlobe and he let out a string of language so foul Draco would have blushed if he had not been laughing so hard. It dragged him back from the edge for a little while longer, bringing him back to reality just enough so that he could focus on giving Link as much pleasure as Draco himself was receiving. Trailing a hand down Link’s back, he grasped hold of his hip, pulling him deeper with each thrust. The other hand moved to tangle through the sweat-soaked clumps of dreads, pulling him close enough for Draco to be able to suck on his earlobe without too much contortion. He knew how sensitive Link’s ears were and that this would speed things up, but he also did not wish to be the only one going insane with lust that night, needing to know that Link had enjoyed this as much as he had.

“OhfuckGodMerlin _yes_ ,” Draco groaned as Link angled his hips in just the right direction to hit his prostate. It was Link’s turn to laugh – somewhat breathlessly – as Draco began to beg. “More, Link, please... I n-need you to – to...”

“Come, Dray. Let go.” Link reached between them, stroking Draco’s aching cock until he began to spasm between them with a cry.

His back arched as his chest and stomach were coated with thick ropes of cum, Link’s hand milking him for every last drop. Draco felt Link tense above him, his arm shaking with the effort of holding himself up, before he came to a shuddering climax. He forced his eyes to stay open and fixed on Link’s face, needing to see the look of pure ecstasy as he came. Draco found himself wishing vaguely that he could see Link’s eyes, but he had them squeezed shut tight. Moving his hands so he could cup Link’s face, Draco smiled up at him as his eyelids fluttered open, fixing Draco with a look of combined wonder and possessiveness that astounded him.

“Cariad,” Link whispered into the space between them, more breath than voice, just before Draco pulled him into a soft kiss.

Draco began to disentangle himself, unwrapping his legs reluctantly and feeling Link slide out of him. The strong feeling of loss he got shocked him as Link attempted to roll off of him and he wrapped an arm back around Link’s shoulders to prevent the movement. Blaise had always complained because Draco craved contact after sex and he desperately hoped that Link would not be the same. A quiet laugh above him forced him to open his eyes as the kiss was broken. Link’s pupils were still blown wide, turning his eyes pitch black with only a sliver of deep blue around the edges. Draco reached to touch the crinkles at the corner of his eyes as he smiled down at him.

“I’m not going anywhere, Dray,” he whispered, still breathless from the exertion. “But we can’t stay like this the whole night.”

With that, he rolled over, taking Draco with him before he could voice an opinion either way. Draco waved a hand to clean them both up before he could forget and snuggled down into Link’s warm embrace. He wrapped an arm across Link’s stomach, hooked a leg over his knee and buried his face into the crook of his neck, sighing in pleasure as Link’s only reaction was to hold him tighter.

“You don’t mind?” Draco’s voice was soft, fading into post-orgasmic oblivion along with his mind.

“Aros gyda mi, Dray and I’ll never mind.”

Draco smiled at the combination of Welsh and English, once again vaguely wondering if Link even knew he had spoken another language. The warm feeling drifting through his stomach that accompanied the words took him gently to sleep, wrapped in Link’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cariad = Sweetheart, darling, just a general term of endearment.  
> Aros gyda mi = Stay with me.
> 
> So, I figured I should give y'all a bit of warning: I'm going on holidays for a few days and won't be back until next Sunday, so the next chapter might be a day or two late, it'll depend on how late it is when I get back. Hope you enjoy the chapter! :D


	13. Chapter 13

“Granger!”

Harry glanced up at the surprised exclamation from Draco, searching out the bushy head of his best friend. She and Ron had returned from Australia with her parents – their memories intact – over the weekend. The three of them had spent most of Saturday sitting in Harry and Sev’s living room, exchanging news and gossip. Harry had, of course, had to make the inconvenience up to Sev that night. Twice.

“When did you get back?”

Harry could now hear the apprehension in Malfoy’s voice and turned on the top of the ladder he was standing on to watch the interaction. Malfoy’s body language was guarded, his arms crossed loosely across his middle as he eyed Hermione cautiously. Harry had to fight back a snigger, as it would probably bring Hermione’s attention to him rather than having it focussed on Malfoy, as it was now.

“Saturday,” Hermione replied in a distracted tone, glancing around as though looking for something. “Don’t worry though: you can keep your students. Ron will be too busy working with the twins and I have research to do. Where’s Harry?”

This was all said in a rush, as though there was something urgent she had to tell him. Harry frowned and shifted on the ladder, wishing now that it was slightly more stable. The movement must have caught Hermione’s eye, as her gaze snapped to him immediately. Her eyes widened in what appeared to be horror as she saw what he was doing. He had climbed the ladder in order to do some tricky spellwork that neither he nor Draco had trusted the students with, but judging from the look in Hermione’s eyes, that had been a bad idea.

“Harry James Potter, what the _hell_ do you think you’re doing up a bloody ladder?” Harry would have usually laughed at Hermione’s use of language she obviously got from Ron, but figured he was in enough trouble as it was. “And you! How could you let him get up a ladder in the first place?”

Draco’s eyes widened in shock that turned swiftly to outrage as Hermione rounded on him. “Why should I have stopped him? He’s a full-grown man for God’s sake.”

“He’s _pregnant_ , you... You didn’t know, did you?”

Harry had always thought that one of the good things about Hermione’s temper was that it deflated quickly when presented with information that contradicted whatever had pissed her off in the first place. This time, however, he wished that she had kept her anger focussed on Malfoy as she turned to face him, her hands on her hips.

“You didn’t tell him? How many of the others _have_ you told, Harry? I’ll bet hardly any of them would have let you gad about doing whatever you wanted if they knew you were possibly endangering your child.”

“Hey, hang on a second! I’m not _endangering_ anything, Hermione.” Harry gripped the top of the ladder tighter as he frowned down at his friend, who glared right back at him. “And why should I have told _him_? It’s not like he hangs around long enough during the day for a chat over a cup of tea, or anything like that.” He layered on the sarcasm thickly, hoping to high hell that Malfoy would not take it into his mind to hex him off the ladder for the insult.

“You know what, Granger? He’s right: I don’t ‘hang around’ during the day, because I have a much more interesting prospect waiting elsewhere for me. So if you’ll excuse me,” Malfoy neatly sidestepped Hermione and was just passing by the ladder when Harry let out a bark of laughter, unable to prevent it anymore.

“You see, Hermione? He’s got a girl somewhere that he sees for lunch three days a week. Why should he care about anything that goes on here when he could be out getting laid?” Harry knew he was pushing Malfoy further than he had since they had been students, but he felt him a safer target for his annoyance than Hermione, whom he had to see every day. He jumped when he heard a very un-Malfoy like snort.

“‘Girl’? You think I have a girl waiting for me? That I go off to, what, have a shag at lunch?” Harry knew his mouth must be hanging open at this outburst from Malfoy, but he was completely helpless to hold it in: this was the most... _human_ he had ever seen the man look. His grey eyes sparkled with humour as he laughed, almost doubled over, with his arms wrapped around his stomach. “I’m sure _Lincoln_ will be ever so pleased to know that you believe him to be female, Potter.”

“What –” Harry twisted on the ladder, lost his balance and pitched forward. There was no time for him to cushion his fall: he was going to hit the stone floor, hard. Except, the impact never came; instead, he found himself caught by a pair of wiry arms. His chest hurt like hell where Draco had caught him and he was sure he had heard a hiss of pain above him, as well as a distressed gasp from Hermione. Harry glanced up into Draco’s face as he straightened up, his eyes wide with a combination of shock and fear. “I – er – thank you.”

“I see what she means,” Malfoy mumbled, frowning down at Harry from his height advantage of a mere inch. He nodded at the both of them before moving off towards the stairs, rolling his right shoulder as though he had hurt it.

“Draco?” Harry had no idea what had prompted him to stop him, but barrelled on anyway. “You’re gay?”

Draco let out a huff of laughter through his nose and smirked at Harry. “Not that it’s any of your business, Potter, but no. I’m bi, but my current partner just happens to be male.”

With that, he turned on his heel and swept down the stairs, still working his shoulder. Harry stared after him, dumbstruck at the change that had been wrought in him since the Trials. It had not occurred to him that the Malfoy that he had known growing up could actually mature into _Draco_ , the man who had just left. He glanced cautiously over to Hermione, only to see her staring at the empty space Draco had occupied a few seconds earlier, a perplexed look on her face.

“That was,” she paused, glancing over to Harry with the same level of confusion he felt.

“Weird,” he finished for her. “Definitely weird. Malfoy being nice makes me uncomfortable.”

“Maybe... Maybe the War really did force him to grow up a bit,” she shrugged in a way Harry usually associated with Ron and turned to rummage in a backpack he had not realised she was wearing. “Anyway, I brought that book I was telling you about on Saturday. The one I found in Australia that has all of the different types of magical creatures that it’s possible for a human to breed with.”

“You make me sound like a horse,” he muttered, but shut up as soon as he got a look at the glare she shot him.

“There’s a _lot_ of information in here, Harry, including a list of known Veela families and their descendants. I haven’t had the time to look through it much, but I think it also includes all of the squibs that the muggle-borns are descended from, which means your family must be in here somewhere.” She looked up at him with an excited expression as she dragged a massive book out of the bag.

Harry’s mind went blank as he stared at the book in Hermione’s hands. _Will she be able to tell if the bond’s sealed completely from that?_ The thought drifted through his mind, leaving goosebumps along his spine in its wake. He smiled, not wanting Hermione to see just how rattled he was.

“That’s great, Hermione. Has Sev seen it yet?” He tried his best to sound like his normal self and, considering her expression did not change, thought he had pulled it off.

“No, he has not.”

Harry shivered with delight as the sound of his mate’s deep voice drifted up the staircase to them. He turned to the stairs, a broad smile stretching across his face as he saw the slight quirk of lips that indicated Sev was in an incredibly good mood. Desire threaded through him as he moved into the circle of Sev’s arms, wrapping his own arms around his mate’s neck and burying his face into his collarbone. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of herbs that drove him absolutely wild.

“Are you alright?” Sev murmured into Harry’s hair, low enough so that Harry was certain Hermione had not heard.

“I’m – _we’re_ – fine.” Harry smiled as he pulled back to see the concern leaving Sev’s eyes as his hands ran all over Harry’s back and sides, obviously checking for injuries. “I fell off the ladder, but Draco caught me before any real damage could be done.”

Sev merely stared down at him, his expression unreadable for a few seconds. “You fell off the ladder?”

“Well, yeah,” Harry replied, now slightly unsure that he should have admitted what had happened to his overprotective mate. “I twisted to get a better look at Draco and lost my balance. But it’s no big deal; I’m fine.”

“You _fell_ off a bloody _ladder_ but ‘everything’s fine’?” Harry could sense Sev struggling with his Veela, his eyes closed and a small frown creasing his brow. “Exactly which part of my _pregnant_ mate falling off a ladder is supposed to be ‘fine’?”

Harry’s smile widened as he felt Sev lose the battle with his Veela. Silvery eyes opened to stare down at him in exasperation as Sev’s hair lengthened and his grip on Harry’s waist tightened. Harry enjoyed looking at his mate at the best of times, but the sight of his Veela side always sent Harry’s stomach fluttering crazily. He spared a few seconds to attempt to subtly work out how long they would need for a lunchtime quickie before giving up and simply deciding to go for it. Leaning up to brush their lips together, Harry met his mate’s eyes with confidence.

“All of it. Yes, I fell off a ladder, but it’s _fine_. You’ve checked me over yourself: there’s no physical damage at all. You’d have found it by now if there was.” Harry stopped with a small gasp as Sev pulled him into a hard kiss.

“I’ll – uh – see you later, Harry.” Hermione sounded incredibly embarrassed as she stepped around them and started down the stairs.

“Sorry, Hermione,” Harry gasped as he wriggled out of Sev’s grasp and followed her down the stairs. He knew he was going to pay for choosing to follow his friend over staying with Sev, but considering the mood his mate was apparently in, Harry believed he would be more than willing to submit to whatever ‘punishment’ Sev thought he needed. He lowered his voice so only Hermione could hear him as he neared her. “Sorry about that, I – er –”

“Get incredibly distracted by him whenever he’s around? Yes, I’m aware,” Hermione grinned as Harry blushed and stared intently at his shoes. “It’s ok, though: I’ve read that it’s totally normal for a newly bonded couple to be completely wrapped up in each other for the first year. They think it has something to do with needing to make certain that the bonding magic has taken properly. So you go, be with your mate. The book’s not going anywhere.”

Harry shot her an extremely thankful look before turning back to see Sev watching them from the top of the stairs. The possessive look in his eyes took Harry’s breath away as he ascended the stairs towards him. _I wonder what I’d have to do to see those wings..._

*~*

Letting out a sound very much like a growl as the elderly lady in front of him stopped once again to speak to someone she apparently knew, Lincoln stepped around her, thankful that his specialty was children, not adults. His strides lengthened as he approached the lobby of the hospital, impatient as he was to see Draco again. Once again he had no idea what it was they would be doing, or where they would be going, but Lincoln found that he simply did not care; as long as it was time he could spend with Draco, he was happy. Glancing around as he made his way across the lobby – much more slowly, due to the people packed into the space – he thought he spotted a familiar flash of blond hair squatting down just off to the right of the entrance. Changing his direction slightly so he would pass by the area, Lincoln frowned as he noticed people avoiding walking through a certain spot. His pace increased automatically as he heard a couple muttering about how disgusting it was that they let ‘people like that’ into the hospital. Breaking through the people to see an area of roughly two metres surrounding the crouched figure of his partner caused Lincoln’s chest to constrict painfully. His momentum caused him to slide as he fell to his knees in front of Draco, who was sitting with his legs curled up to his chest, his left arm crossed across in front of his face with his hand massaging his right shoulder. He had buried his eyes into his forearm and appeared to be almost trembling he was so tense.

“Draco,” Lincoln breathed, easing Draco’s hand off his shoulder and casting a general Healing charm automatically, knowing it would help to ease the pain of most injuries, even if it would not Heal them properly. “What happened?”

“Pulled muscle,” Draco grimaced as he tried to lift his head. He was holding himself stiffly in a position that Lincoln knew would only make the injury worse if he held it for too long. “I can’t move properly.”

“It’s ok, Dray,” Lincoln murmured as he switched the charm he was casting to a more specific one that would help Heal the affected muscles. “Come on; on your feet. This’ll work better if you’re standing.”

Easing Draco to his feet took a little longer than Lincoln would have liked, but they got there without causing any extra injury to his shoulder. Draco slumped into Lincoln’s arms with a soft whimper as soon as he was properly on his feet, still holding his shoulder at a strange angle. Lincoln forced his attention away from the continued whispers around them and focussed solely on Healing the muscles in Draco’s shoulder, which had come close to being a proper tear.

“Tell me what happened,” he requested as soon as he got the muscle Healed and Draco had stopped holding himself in that awkward position. He had not released the grip he had on Draco’s waist, holding him securely against his chest, but Draco did not seem to mind.

“I caught Potter when he fell off a ladder. Bastard’s heavier than he looks. Once that first muscle pulled, others followed along and before I knew it, it was too painful to stand properly.” He pulled back to look Lincoln in the eyes, a small smile on his face. “Lucky for me I managed to snag myself such a brilliant Healer, hm?”

Lincoln smiled as Draco kissed him softly. He enjoyed the sensation of simply being with him, until a disgusted noise beside them distracted them both. Draco stiffened in his arms as they both turned to see a man looking at them, his top lip curled in revulsion. Lincoln almost managed to shrug off Draco’s hands completely as Draco attempted to pull him away and turned to face the man properly. Draco kept one hand wrapped in the sleeve of Lincoln’s shirt, holding him back at a safe distance from the man.

“Is there a problem?” He had faced homophobia before and would not stand for it in his workplace.

“Yeah, there is actually,” the man sneered, not at Lincoln, but at Draco. “Any respectable Healer would have just let scum like _that_ sit there and suffer. How many good people did he cause pain to during the War and now he comes in here and takes a Healer away from someone who really needs one?”

Anger pooled in Lincoln’s chest at the man’s words, sending adrenalin shooting through him. “Any ‘respectable’ Healer would have done _exactly_ what I have just done: help someone who was in need of Healing. We take a vow to help those in need, which includes _everyone_ , no matter who they are, or what they have done in the past. Add into that equation that this particular man just happens to be my partner and the sole reason I was down here in the first place and I think that cancels out your theory that he was taking me away from someone who needed a Healer more than he did.”

Lincoln turned away from the man then, finally giving in to Draco’s insistent tugging on his sleeve. Following his instincts, he blocked the man’s view of Draco by the simple expedient of wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him close. The look Draco shot him as he relaxed into the touch caused Lincoln’s stomach to flip.

“Take me somewhere, Link,” Draco whispered into his ear. “Somewhere away from here, where it’s just us.”

Lincoln closed his eyes against the spinning squeeze of Apparition as he took them both to the first safe place that popped into his mind. Smiling as the smell of sea water hit his senses when they landed, he ran his hands up Draco’s back, needing to check that he really was ok and Healed properly. Draco pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes as Lincoln squeezed his shoulder blade and the muscles surrounding it.

“Thank you,” he breathed into the small space between their lips. “I can’t – I don’t know how to express it, but... _thank you_.”

Warmth flooded Lincoln’s stomach as Draco kissed him with a passion he had only ever associated with building up to falling straight into a bed together. Satisfied that he had managed to Heal the injury properly, Lincoln allowed his hands to drop back down to Draco’s waist, holding him securely against him. _This_ is what he craved during the weekdays that he did not see Draco: this burning desire they shared; the feeling of desperation that pulled him towards his partner, urging him to touch and taste every little bit he could. These feelings had not been present with any of his past lovers and he knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he really should be scared of exactly what they implied. The problem was that his Elven side had not objected to his getting closer to Draco; in fact, if anything, it seemed as though he were being encouraged to spend as much time with him as possible. Far from feeling the need to run from these emotions, Lincoln found himself hankering for them; being pushed to satisfy them as often as possible. Which is exactly what he was currently doing.

“Dray,” he whispered as they broke apart, his mind floating happily on the endorphin rush Draco had induced. “Why did you stay in the lobby rather than coming to me?”

“I knew you’d find me.” Draco smiled contentedly at Lincoln’s intake of breath. “What’s that in your hair?”

Shocked out of his little bubble of satisfaction by the sudden question, it took a few seconds for Lincoln to re-orientate himself. “What d’you – oh!” His hand found its way into his hair, where he found strands of beads, little chunks of plastic and metal and different streaks of colour weaved through his dreads. He offered up a slightly embarrassed smile as Draco watched him with an amused smile. “It was a bit of a slow day and the kids were bored, so I let them play... And then completely forgot about it.”

“So my big, tough-looking rocker of a partner lets sick little girls weave beads and paper flowers into his hair when they’re bored?” Lincoln could feel a blush threatening as Draco grinned at him. He attempted to duck his head, but was prevented by Draco’s fingers beneath his chin, forcing him to meet his eyes. “Don’t ever be embarrassed about something like that: your ability to just be yourself and not give a shit about what anyone else thinks is one of the reasons I like you so much.”

Staring into Draco’s solemn grey eyes, Lincoln saw nothing but sincerity there, leading to him drawing Draco into another kiss. This one was much more chaste, more of a brush of their lips than a real kiss, as Lincoln did not trust his body to not start to react if he continued to feed it with the amount of stimulation Draco apparently thought necessary. His mind had started to slowly drift back into the real world and he knew he needed to keep an eye on the time if he was to get back to work on time.

“Um,” Draco murmured as he pulled back and glanced around them. “Where are we?”

Lincoln followed his gaze, taking in the shops around them and the scent of sea water. It was not until he heard the sound of muggle ships that he realised where he had Apparated them to. “Cardiff. Well, the wizarding side of Cardiff, at least. All I was really thinking was somewhere safe. What? What are you grinning at this time?”

“I said take me somewhere where it’s just us two. _You_ translated that to ‘take me someplace safe’ and we wound up in your hometown?” Draco nuzzled into Lincoln’s neck, his hands tightening around his waist for a few seconds. “You are too cute for words sometimes.”

“Please don’t call me cute when I’ve got flowers in my hair.” Draco’s laugh huffed against Lincoln’s neck, setting off a new wave of shivers. “Come on, there’s a good fish and chip shop around the corner.”

Once they were ensconced in a booth at the back of the fast food joint with their large helping of fish and chips, Lincoln watched in amusement as Draco squeezed lemon juice all over every single piece of fish on the paper. When he had finished with one slice of lemon, he started in on a second one. When there was half a lemon’s worth of juice on the fish, he sprinkled salt all over everything. Lincoln sat back in his seat to watch as Draco picked up one of the pieces of fish with his fingers and bit into it, his eyes closing in pleasure.

“Good?”

“Mph,” Draco replied around a mouthful of food. “You have _no_ idea. I grew up eating salads and French foods that Mother grew up with. I hadn’t even tasted batter until our first Hogsmeade trip in Third Year.”

Lincoln smiled as he watched Draco eat, making small approving noises when he came across a piece he particularly liked. He managed to nab two pieces of fish for himself but had to stop there when his eyes began to water from the strength of the lemon juice. Contenting himself with the chips, Lincoln waited until Draco seemed to have sated his hunger before attempting conversation again.

“Dray, how often do people treat you like that?”

Draco froze, his expression shuttering as he traced a finger through a pile of salt. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve come to expect people to react badly when they see the Mark and, really, they have every right. I’m not going to hide from my past, so it’s going to keep happening. It’s just something I’ll have to live with.”

With his customary spectacular timing, Lincoln’s Elven side chose that moment to prompt him to object to what Draco had said. Lincoln knew, subconsciously, that Draco was right: that people had every right to react negatively when they saw his Mark. That knowledge, however, did not stop his dominant protective instincts from going into overdrive at the thought of Draco being subjected to that kind of treatment on a regular basis.

“Has it happened at the hospital before?” He was trying to keep his voice even, he really was, but knew he had failed when Draco shot him a sad smile.

“Link,” Draco began in a tone of reluctance that Lincoln _knew_ meant he was about to tell him that everything was fine, or that it did not matter.

“No.”

“What?”

“Whenever you want me to drop something important, you close yourself off. Stop it; it’s bloody irritating. Besides that, no, it is _not_ fine for you to be treated like that, especially in a hospital of all places.” He slid out of his side of the booth and into Draco’s, fully aware of the scrutiny that he was under from those grey eyes. “You come straight to my office from now on. I’m not having you treated like that anymore.”

Draco let out a huff of breath that may have been a laugh as he pulled Lincoln into a kiss. Surrendering himself to the emotions running through him, Lincoln realised that his original intentions of keeping things casual between them had flown out the door long ago: he was in serious danger of falling incredibly hard for Draco. His Elven side was not objecting to this revelation. In fact, it appeared to be sitting back, quite mellow in the back of his mind, simply enjoying the sensations running through him. Shivers ran down his spine when Draco hummed contentedly as he broke the kiss. The happy sound forced Lincoln into a decision: he was not going to run; he was not going to deny what he felt. Draco trusted him and he would not betray that trust. If he wound up falling for him, then he would gather the confidence Draco seemed to think came naturally to him and face it like a man. _‘If’, yeah right_ , he thought as he stared into Draco’s eyes. _Like you stand a chance..._


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie dokie, this chapter brings us back in line with chapter 10 of BILYYI, the one where they find out about Harry's ancestry. Don't worry, I won't be repeating every single chapter from another POV, I just needed to get Harry's mindset clear before going into some of the next chapters. Hope y'all enjoy it :D

“No, no, Hermione; you can’t tell him. He doesn’t know the bond isn’t fully sealed and if he finds out, he’ll leave me. You _can’t_ tell him.” Harry could barely breathe through the panic rising in his chest and the lump in his throat. “ _Please_ don’t do this to me.”

A small frown creased Hermione’s brow as she clutched the massive book she had bought in Australia that had shown her that Harry did not actually have enough Veela blood to form a bond. “But Harry, he’s going to find out eventually anyway. This isn’t something you can hide from someone who is as close to you as your mate is. He’ll work out that you’re not reacting to the bond the way you should be sooner or later. Isn’t it better that he finds out early on in the pregnancy?”

“What, so he can make plans to get out as soon as possible?” Knowing the way his mate’s mind worked, Harry knew that he would take this as a betrayal of the worst kind; that the night could very well end with him being rejected. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to hold back the hysteria he could feel threatening to overwhelm him at any moment, Harry focussed all of his attention on Hermione. “If you tell him, he’ll leave me.”

“You can’t know that for sure. You’ve been telling Ron and I how much he has changed towards you since you bonded; maybe what he feels for you now will override his negative reactions.”

_She’s going to tell him and I can’t stop her. He’ll leave me alone with a baby and a broken bond... Will the baby even be enough to keep me alive?_ Harry was completely helpless to prevent the combination of fear and misery from overpowering him at the thought of having to spend the rest of his life longing after a man who wanted nothing to do with either him or their child. Wrapping his arms around his stomach in a gesture that was both comforting for him as well as an instinctual protective move, Harry heard his breath shuddering through him as all the emotions he had been repressing forced themselves to the forefront.

“Hermione, _I love him._ I have for years and I –” Harry paused as his voice broke on a sob. He turned to face the fire, hiding his face from his friend. “I can’t lose him. It would kill me; I know it.”

He heard Hermione take a breath, but all his attention was now focussed on the strong feeling of _Severus_ he got whenever his mate was near. He had known that he would be unable to prevent Sev from sensing everything that he was feeling through the bond for very long and that it would draw him back to their rooms. The realisation that he was about to be rejected in front of one of his best friends forced Harry into a snap decision. He would beg, plead and promise anything; whatever it took to keep hold of his mate, Harry would give it. He flung himself into Sev’s arms as soon as he strode through the door.

“Sev, oh Gods, I’m sorry... I’m so sorry.” Harry wrapped his arms around his mate’s waist, holding tight to him, as he was sure he would not have that privilege for much longer.

“It’s ok, Harry; you are safe here. I would never allow any harm to come to you; you know that,” Sev murmured into Harry’s ear.

The words pierced through Harry’s chest, plunging into him like tiny daggers. He had earned Sev’s confidence over the past few months – had been the first person in years to have been granted that honour – and he had now fucked it up so completely that he was unsure if he would ever have the right to expect the same level of trust from him ever again. There was something deep inside him mourning the loss of trust that he knew was coming, but he had no idea exactly what it was. Hermione had said something about Wood Elves, but Harry had been too consumed by the knowledge that he was about to lose his mate to pay much attention to her. Now he was concentrating on it, Harry had to admit that the thing he could feel in the back of his mind felt incredibly familiar, almost as if it had always been there, just waiting for the right moment to surface. His breath shuddered through him raggedly as he clung to Sev, mentally berating himself for his stupidity.

“You, what have you done?”

Harry gasped as Sev released him and started to move towards Hermione, who let out a squeak and took a step back from him. Knowing that none of this was her fault, Harry tangled his fingers through the fabric of Sev’s robes, hoping to save at least one of them from his wrath that night. He wrapped his free arm reassuringly across his belly – which he had been pleased to note had finally started to show – and glanced up, preparing to give Hermione the chance to get out while she still could.

“No, Sev, she hasn’t done anything.”

Harry could feel the tracks of tears falling down his cheeks as he stared up into the fathomless black eyes of the man he loved. He spared a few seconds to wonder which one of them the anger he saw there was directed at as he tried to find the words to confess what he had done. However, he was spared having to own up to his idiocy by Sev growling as he turned back to Hermione and demanding to be told what had happened.

Having had his hand shrugged off of Sev’s sleeve, Harry could feel his misery over his situation beginning to consume him. Harry knew that Sev probably would have been able to work out what was wrong with his side of the bond if he had just admitted that he could not sense him straightaway, but doing the sensible thing in emotional situations had never been one of Harry’s strong points. Running his eyes up the back of his mate, Harry watched as he stiffened, his shoulders going rigid as Hermione explained what she had discovered. Hermione’s voice quickened when Sev seemed to crumple onto the hearthrug, his knees connecting with the floor with a loud crack. Harry closed the distance between them in two quick strides as Hermione hurriedly finished repeating what she had already told Harry. Needing to know that his mate was alright, Harry reached out tentatively to touch his shoulder.

“Sev, please.”

Harry gasped as Sev flinched away from him, sending pain flashing through Harry’s chest. They had fought before – he had known it was unavoidable, them being who they are – but Sev had never rejected Harry’s touch before, not even during the screaming matches they had engaged in after they had first bonded. The pain caused by such a seemingly simple movement was almost unbearable and Harry moved to slump into one of the chairs by the fire as Sev stood and began to pace the living room. Desperate to protect his child from both his own misery and the rage of his angry mate, Harry drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, hiding his slightly swollen stomach from Sev’s view.

“Go on.”

Something in the back of Harry’s mind latched onto the sound of his mate’s voice, blocking out everything else. Harry had already heard everything Hermione was currently telling Sev and he really did not feel the need to hear it all again; he hurt too much as it was. He knew that his mother had had a tiny amount of Veela blood; he also knew that his father had had a small amount of Wood Elf blood. On their own there was not enough creature blood in his genes for Harry to have a proper mate of his own – even though he would still have been Sev’s mate, as his Veela had chosen Harry – but combined, the two gave him just enough creature blood for him to have had both a Veela Inheritance as well as a mate through his Wood Elf blood.

“How do we seal it?”

The words sparked a small flame of hope in Harry’s chest; hope that maybe, just _maybe_ , they would be able to make it through the night with their bond intact. He could see no reason for Sev to ask how to seal the bond if he planned on leaving in the near future, although that could have just been wishful thinking. The emotions he could feel down the bond were getting stronger: he was beginning to be able to sense everything Sev was feeling, magnified as it was by the incredibly strong sense of betrayal. It felt almost as though Sev was projecting what he was feeling down the bond, but Harry knew that that was highly unlikely. Through his own gloomy haze, Harry could sense Sev’s Veela side trying to take control from him, although whether that would be a good thing for Harry or not, he had no idea. He barely bit back a gasp as Sev turned from Hermione and simply stared into the fire for a few seconds, anger building up in him swiftly.

“Get out.”

“Harry...”

Harry could hear the hesitancy in Hermione’s voice, but was beginning to wish she would just take the opportunity presented and leave the two of them alone. If he was going to be rejected, he would rather be alone for it.

“Is perfectly safe where he is. Leave now, or you will not be.” The words were low, almost a growl as Sev faced off with Hermione.

Harry realised Sev must have won the staring contest – unsurprisingly – when he heard the door close quietly. Now that they were alone and Harry had no choice but to focus his full attention on his mate, it was becoming clear to him that he could not have expected this to have lasted. The very fact that they had managed to forge the kind of relationship they had had over the past few months was probably nothing short of a miracle. The unfortunate reality of the situation appeared to be that this particular miracle had an expiry date, and that they had reached it much faster than Harry had believed possible. He had not even managed to hold onto the man he was destined to be with for three months before his incredible stupidity had pushed him away. Hearing the footsteps stop in front of the chair he was in, Harry glanced up and was powerless to prevent a whimper from escaping at the look on Sev’s face. In all the years he had known him, Harry had never seen an emotion cross his mate’s face as strong as the anger he saw there now, not even when he had taken an unauthorised trip through Sev’s memories in the Pensieve. Strangely enough, the second-hand anger flooding Harry’s system seemed to be slowly ebbing away as Sev stared down at him. Harry started when Sev seemed to collapse to his knees in front of him, a tremble to his hands that worried Harry more than any amount of anger ever could.

“Are you satisfied, Potter? Whatever game you are playing, you have won. You have finally managed to break the monster who terrorised you all through your school days.” Harry fought back the urge to take Sev into his arms and hold him until he got back to his normal, snarky self as he watched him raise shaky hands to cover his eyes. His mate’s next words took Harry’s breath away. “You made me love you. If the whole point of this charade was to finally have your revenge and kill me, then outright rejection in the Shrieking Shack would have been the preferable option. It would have been a lot less painful. At least then I would have had the dignity of an unwitnessed death, rather than having you standing over me, gloating.”

_He thinks_ I’m _going to reject_ him _? He thinks I don’t want him... doesn’t know how much I need him._ The thoughts ran through Harry’s mind in quick succession, almost stunning him with their strength. Before he really knew what he was going to do, he had launched himself off the chair and had grasped hold of Sev’s wrists, pulling his hands from his face. Unwilling to allow him to duck his head, Harry threaded a hand through the long, sweat-dampened lengths of his hair, breathing deeply for a few seconds as the scent of herbs hit him. Anger rushed through him as Sev closed his eyes, denying him the chance to see what he was feeling.

“Do you want to know why I went along with this? Why I didn’t tell anyone that I knew the bond hadn’t been sealed properly? Do you?” The sound of his own desperation hit Harry’s ears as he slid his hands down to grasp hold of Sev’s shoulders. The fact that Sev was not reacting to what Harry was saying was feeding his anger, leading to him wanting to force a reaction out of him. “It’s because I love you, you blind fucking idiot! I have for years, since the second you stood up to Sirius in the hospital ward after the Triwizard Cup. I tried to ignore it, tried to deny it, even told myself that it would go away as soon as I found a nice girl. And you know what? I did find a nice girl; two in fact. And neither could make me forget you. I tortured myself over these feelings. How could I love someone who had so obviously hated me from the second he laid eyes on me? Why would I want someone who was so cruel to not just me, but every single person he came into contact with? I – I still have no answer to that, but when I saw you during the Battle, I knew that this was something I had to face. I couldn’t try to deny what I felt any longer. I was too busy trying to protect Luna to get to you, but then you reached for me in the Shack, and I... It felt like I had finally come home. You had finally accepted me and I didn’t even care that the only way you could ever love me was to be manipulated into it through the bond. I finally had you, and you were acting like you cared for me, like you cared about what happened to me. I decided that if that was the only way I could be with you, then I would accept it. No one had to know that the bond was one-sided, because I was never going to leave.”

Harry stopped here, slightly shocked at what he had just admitted. It had never been his intention to confess his love in a situation like this, but now that it was out there, he was never going to deny it again. _I love him and he is going to accept that if I have to spend the rest of eternity proving it to him._ The anger coursing through him began to wane as Sev finally met his eyes. Harry held incredibly still as he caught sight of Sev’s hand raising to pluck the glasses off his face, not wanting to scare him off now that he had him right there. He blinked against the slight blur, getting used to not being able to see everything clearly, before continuing in a hushed tone.

“Then Hermione worked it out. She came in here with that genealogy book, saying that she knew the bond wasn’t sealed properly, that she knew that I had been lying to everyone.” He shrugged slightly, knowing he would be unable to properly explain why he had lied about the bond. “I panicked. I knew that you would come rushing back here as soon as you felt this... God, I don’t even know what to call it. Desperation, I guess. And then you would reject me, leaving me alone with our child, trying to force myself to live life as if I wanted to go on without you.”

The words faltered as he saw the Veela finally take over, lengthening Sev’s hair and turning his eyes silver. “Harry...”

The hitch in Sev’s voice gave Harry another little ray of hope that this night would end well. That is, right until Sev turned from him, his face going blank as he attempted to hide what he was feeling. Frustration flooded through Harry’s veins and he tightened his grip on his mate’s shoulders.

“Don’t, Sev, please.” He reached to turn Sev’s face back to him, needing to be able to see into his eyes as he said the next words. “Don’t keep shutting me out; I’m sick of it.”

Something unreadable flashed through Sev’s eyes as Harry watched him intently, trying to sort through the mess of emotions he was receiving down the bond. He gave up after a few seconds, as it appeared that Sev had come to some kind of decision, if the firm set to his mouth was anything to go by.

“You lied to me. You knew about my parents, about how they treated each other, how they treated me, and yet you still chose to lie to me. Tell me, Potter, exactly which part of this ingenious plan of yours was supposed to indicate your hypothetical ‘love’ for me?” Mild satisfaction passed fleetingly across Sev’s features as anger coursed through Harry.

“’Hypothetical’? You... you bastard. You complete and utter arsehole!” He snatched his wand and glasses from the floor as he rose – slightly less elegantly than he would have liked due to his increasing weight and the haze of anger and confusion fogging his mind – to begin to pace the opposite end of the room, muttering to himself. “‘Bastard and arsehole’ are the best you can up with? Well fucking done, Harry. Why not ‘twat-faced wanker’? Or ‘conceited douche bag’? Even ‘cowardly, Death Eater scum’ would have been better. It’s true, isn’t it? You managed to fall helplessly for a man who stood back and allowed others to be tortured and murdered. What were you really expecting, puppy dogs and roses every day? You’re a fucking idiot for believing he could ever feel anything for anyone other than himself.”

“Of course, what could I have expected from the son of James Potter?” The words were spoken low, with a calculating edge to them so that Harry knew he was being manipulated, but was incapable of stopping himself from reacting.

“DON’T YOU TALK ABOUT MY FATHER!” He spun to face his sneering mate, his anger causing his wand to spark.

Harry’s breath – which had been heaving noisily through his chest – hitched as he had to watch Sev stand gracefully, his endlessly long legs unfolding beneath him. The combination of the long, smooth hair and the silvery eyes with Sev’s natural elegance never failed to get a reaction out of Harry, who felt pinned to the spot, unwilling to move in case he gave away just how much of an effect Sev was having on him. He remembered to breathe as Sev slowly approached, a cocky smirk on his lips. Hating his body for reacting the way it was, Harry met his mate’s eyes defiantly, attempting to prepare himself for whatever insults Sev was about to throw his way.

“Oh, if he could have only seen what you have become.” Harry repressed a shudder as a long finger trailed down the side of his face. “You think he would be proud?”

Harry’s anger overrode his desire for his mate at the insult to not only him, but their child as well. It clouded his vision and he cast the first thing that came to mind. _"Everte Statum!"_

Sev flew back across the room, landing with a satisfying crunch. Harry followed a few seconds later, furious enough with what his mate had said that he dropped his wand and began trying to beat the hell out of him with his fists. This was less about actually physically harming the selfish prick and more about wearing out the rage constricting Harry’s chest. It diminished with each blow that he landed, draining slowly as he wore himself out. Once his temper had died down and his breath was coming in harsh gasps, he felt Sev relaxing beneath him.

“Harry.”

“Shut up, you slimy, greasy waste of... Why?”

“There are things we need to discuss.”

Harry leant in to rest his head briefly on Sev’s shoulder, needing the few seconds of comfort that being this close to his mate gave him. “Fine.”

Harry moved into the living room, settling himself on one of the chairs. Watching from beneath his lashes as Sev lay down on the lounge, one leg stretched to rest against the armrest at the end, Harry attempted to repress the surge of lust that jolted through him, but knew he had failed. His traitorous body chose that moment to begin to respond to the visual stimulation, causing him to squirm uncomfortably in the chair.

“Sev, could you please turn your Veela off?”

“Turn it off? You say that as though you believe I have full control over this situation.” The smirk Sev granted him sent a shiver down Harry’s spine.

“Don’t you? I mean, you can apparently summon those wings whenever you want.” Harry frowned in an attempt to hide his current... condition.

“There is a difference, Mister Potter, between being able to control this side of myself, and calling upon my wings for the pleasure of my mate.” Sev had an annoying habit of drawing words out in his sensuously deep voice; Harry firmly believed that the way he said ‘pleasure’ should have been illegal. “Now, however, as much as I would like to continue along this particular avenue of conversation, I need answers.” 

“I meant what I said, every word of it. I knew the bond hadn’t been sealed on my side, but hoped no one would be able to work it out. And yes, before you tell me just how stupid you think I am, I now know how unrealistic that was, especially with both you and Hermione searching.” He shifted uncomfortably again, trying to find a position that relieved some of the pressure on his now too-tight jeans. “I had no idea about the whole Elf thing, though, you have to believe that.”

The silence that followed his words continued for a few seconds before Sev sat up on the lounge, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh. Feeling a prompting from deep inside him, Harry followed what he assumed were his creature instincts – although exactly _which_ creature was up for debate – and moved to kneel in front of his mate.

“Sev, I am not leaving. You aren’t going to scare me away by yelling at me, or insulting my father. Just give me a chance to prove that I mean it, you can even look into my mind, if you really want to. You know I’ve never been able to keep you out – Hey, I thought you said you couldn’t control that Veela of yours?” He placed his hands over Sev’s as he stared intently into the darkening eyes above him.

Harry had to bite back a sigh of frustration as Sev closed his eyes again, denying Harry the chance to witness the change. He did not have to wait long before they opened again and Sev offered up a tired smile.

“I do not need you to offer anything like that, Harry; I believe you.”

Relief flooded through Harry as he leant in to press his lips to Sev’s. He knew that they had a long way to go before they could sort things out properly, but this was probably the best start he could have hoped for. He pulled back when he felt a shiver run through his mate.

“Sev?”

“I – I need to sort through what has happened.” He smiled sadly as panic jolted through Harry. “Do you trust me?”

“Completely,” Harry whispered automatically.

“Then believe that I shall not leave you either. I just need some time alone, alright?”

Nodding numbly, Harry watched as Sev stood and left without a backward glance. _I’ve ruined everything..._


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie dokie, just to set the scene, this is set the same night as the fight.

Lincoln smiled to himself as he silently opened the door to his bathroom. Draco was singing quietly as he scrubbed the smell of the Lucky off his skin and Lincoln had been unable to resist getting a closer look. Leaning back against the now-closed door, he took in the sight before him with a small smile. The room was fogged with steam, but the water that had been flicked against the glass door to the shower gave him a streaked view of Draco’s pale back and firm arse. Listening carefully to the tune as he quickly stripped off, he counted it as a small victory when he recognised ‘Do You Love Me?’ by Kiss. He had slowly been introducing Draco to the muggle music he had grown up loving thanks to his father, but had been unsure if he had liked any of it. The fact that he apparently knew the lyrics to at least one song appeared to be a step in the right direction.

“What –” Draco gasped as Lincoln slid the door to the shower open and circled his arms around Draco’s waist.

“Sorry, couldn’t resist.” Lincoln murmured against the hot, wet skin of Draco’s neck as he nuzzled into it. He took the low noise of approval and Draco’s hands moving to cover his as permission to stay. Pressing as close as he could get to allow Draco to feel just how aroused he was, Lincoln let out a low moan. Sometimes Draco’s mere presence was enough to get him going, as had been the case that night. They had spent the day lounging around Lincoln’s flat, staying out of the summer heat, but had had dinner out at the Lucky, where he had been treated to a night of Draco’s version of dancing. “You do understand exactly how much I want you, right?”

“Mmm, I can tell...” Draco almost purred as he wriggled his hips. “Wouldn’t mind a demonstration, though.”

Lincoln snorted in amusement as Draco turned in his arms, flashing him a wide smile. A hand waved in the direction of the flowing water solved the underwater breathing problems Lincoln knew would occur the second Draco refused to be moved from beneath the stream of water. The stream spread, covering the both of them as Lincoln tightened his grip around Draco’s waist, pulling him close enough to be able to kiss him properly. The lingering taste of Firewhiskey assaulted Lincoln’s senses as he allowed his tongue to roam all over Draco’s inviting mouth. The enduring smoky, burning sensation tingled against his tongue as he brushed it slowly along the roof of Draco’s mouth, earning himself a deep moan. The sound vibrated through his chest as Draco pressed closer, arching his back in obvious invitation. Not needing to be asked twice, Lincoln reached blindly for the bottle of liquid soap on the shelf behind Draco, unwilling to break apart again so soon. Pouring more soap than he knew he needed onto his hand, he had to bite back a smile as he replaced the bottle. The feeling of having Draco hot and wet, pressed up against his chest was working Lincoln up as fast as ever, so he figured he would have some fun while he could. He foamed his hands up and began to move them in small circles down Draco’s back, soaping him up slowly. Draco’s initial reaction was to sigh into the kiss expectantly, but as it became clear that Lincoln intended to take his time, he became more insistent. One hand tangled almost painfully through Lincoln’s hair while the other dragged perfectly manicured nails down his back, no doubt leaving dull red marks. A sharp jab of desire hit Lincoln as Draco broke the kiss to begin to suck on his earlobe. He had no idea if it was due to his Elven nature that his ears were so sensitive, but Draco had worked out that they were one of his hotspots early on and had proceeded to use this to his advantage every chance he got. Lincoln traced a soapy finger down between Draco’s spread thighs in response, brushing lightly against his perineum. Laughing as Draco pressed his torso forward and his arse back in an obvious attempt at getting him to move faster, Lincoln relented, moving both hands to cup Draco’s finely-toned arse. Kneading the soft flesh in his hands produced another groan from Draco.

“Why do you tease me?” The question was more breath than voice against Lincoln’s ear, sending shivers of delight through his stomach. Knowing he could reduce Draco to this breathless state without even really touching him yet was the biggest turn-on Lincoln could imagine. “I _need_ you Link... please.”

Not trusting his voice to not come out sounding even more breathless than Draco’s had, Lincoln matched his actions to what he wanted to say instead. Running his fingers down between Draco’s cheeks, he listened closely to the noises Draco was making as he slipped a finger inside the tight ring of muscle. It became obvious that he was too far gone to last very long when he almost collapsed into Lincoln’s arms as Lincoln brushed against his prostate. Making a quick decision, Lincoln turned so that his back rested against the slippery tiles, allowing him to slide down in front of Draco easily. Sucking Draco’s throbbing cock into his mouth completely on the first try was made much easier by the running water still pouring over the two of them. The fact that he also slid in a second finger seemed to be lost on Draco as he leant forward to rest his forehead on his folded arms against the tiles. Lincoln recognised the breathy little whimpers Draco was making as indicators that he was coming close to orgasm and doubled his efforts, hooking the fingers inside him to rub properly against his prostate. Bringing his free hand up to massage Draco’s swollen sac seemed to be too much for him to be able to handle: his head tipped back, his back arched and his hips jerked erratically as he began to orgasm. Using the pleasure of Draco’s orgasm to cover the pain of adding a third finger, Lincoln licked and sucked him through it, his head beginning to swim with desire so strong he was sure he was not going to be able to hold himself back from simply taking Draco before he was ready. That particular issue was solved by Draco pulling him up by the hair into a heated kiss.

“Merlin, Link, I...” Draco’s eyes fluttered as he leant into Lincoln’s chest, breathing heavily.

“Stay with me, Dray. I’m not done with you yet.”

“Mmm,” Draco responded, clenching around the fingers still moving inside him.

Lincoln took a few seconds to catch his breath as he stared at the stunning man in his arms. Draco’s hair was plastered to his head, still white-blond despite being absolutely saturated. The little amount of breath Lincoln had managed to catch was sucked from him as Draco leant back to look into his eyes. Swaying close enough to press their lips together in a soft kiss, Draco let out a quiet sigh. Lincoln was unable to prevent himself from staring at Draco’s kiss-swollen lips.

“You are absolutely gorgeous,” he whispered as he ran the thumb of his free hand across Draco’s lips. “And delicious,” he added before leaning in to taste those lips again.

He kissed Draco until they were both panting for breath and Draco was squirming in his arms again. Lincoln knew that he could have simply taken Draco the moment he had made it to his feet again – that he had been ready for him for a while now – but he had always found sex with an active partner much more enjoyable. And that was exactly what he would be getting now that he had given Draco time to recover: an active and eager partner who wanted Lincoln just as much as Lincoln wanted him. Draco let out a soft moan as Lincoln slid out from between him and the wall, grabbing the soap again as he did. Lincoln hissed as the cold soap hit his heated skin, shooting Draco a glare as he let out a laugh.

“Merlin, that’s hot,” Draco groaned as he watched Lincoln’s hand sliding up his aching cock, setting off shivers that rocked through Lincoln’s entire body.

“Dray...”

“Yes, Link, I’m more than ready and I want this; just get on with it,” Draco ground out as he grabbed hold of Lincoln’s hips, dragging him closer.

“Wasn’t asking permission,” Lincoln grunted as he breached him with a quick thrust of his hips. His right hand came to rest on the soft skin just above Draco’s thatch of dark blond pubic hair, the left wrapping across his chest to grasp hold of Draco’s right shoulder. This resulted in Draco being pulled tightly back against Lincoln’s chest, his head thrown back against Lincoln’s left shoulder as he gasped for breath.

“Let go, Link; I want all of you.”

Considering he had had absolutely no intention of taking this portion of the night slowly, Lincoln let out an amused noise as he tried to prevent himself from accidentally hurting Draco, despite Draco’s enthusiasm. He always came across as being incredibly delicate, almost fragile; as though he would shatter with any rough handling and it had given Lincoln pause on more than one occasion when Draco had demanded he go faster than he wanted to. “You’re sure about that?” A quick jerk of his hips had Draco moaning. “Completely positive?” Another thrust and Lincoln was buried as deep inside him as he could get.

It seemed that all Draco could do for a few seconds was pant, his hands scrambling for purchase on the wet tiles in front of him. “Yes... _yes_.”

The fact that Draco could speak during sex still stunned Lincoln a little, despite their rather vigorous activities over the past week. His Elven side took pride in knowing that he had been Draco’s first in certain things, but there was something else deep inside him practically screaming that it was incredibly important that Draco had been the first to be able to say Lincoln’s name when they were together. He had no idea what it was and there was no way he had enough blood left in the top half of his body to be able to think straight enough to examine the feeling now. Rolling his hips experimentally to see how ready Draco really was, Lincoln let out a satisfied noise as all the response Draco made was to clench around him again.

“If you’re certain, then.”

Lincoln pulled out and thrust back in hard, listening carefully to make sure Draco was not objecting. Despite the reassurances Draco had offered, Lincoln was not going to allow himself to hurt him in any way, no matter how good this felt. When all he heard were gasps and moans of pleasure, he allowed himself to let go properly, losing himself in a moment of pure bliss as he held Draco to him tightly. Draco leant forward, resting his head against the cool tile wall and arching his back, meeting Lincoln thrust for thrust. Sliding his still-soapy hand downwards, Lincoln wrapped his fingers around Draco’s hardening cock, moving his hand in time to his hips. Sharp jabs of lust were shooting through his stomach to settle in his groin, building up to what was promising to be a mind-blowing orgasm. Changing his angle a little to aim at Draco’s prostate, Lincoln smiled against the hot skin of Draco’s neck as he shuddered.

“ _Fuck_... Link, I – I can’t... I’m going to...”

The gasped words sent pleasurable shivers through Lincoln’s overloaded system, bringing him right to the edge. Finding himself incapable of comprehensible speech, Lincoln instead sucked on the pulse throbbing in Draco’s neck, adding just enough stimulation to have Draco tipping over the edge again with a gasping cry. With one last, hard thrust, Lincoln found his release as well, biting down on the soft skin of Draco’s neck. He pressed Draco into the wall, just barely managing to hold the two of them up as pleasure ripped through him.

Panting with exertion as he extracted himself from Draco, Lincoln forced himself to stay awake and assess their situation. The thought that his weight against Draco’s back was the only thing preventing Draco from collapsing to the floor of the shower wandered through Lincoln’s mind after a few seconds. He knew he had to get the two of them dry and back to his bed; preferably without any unnecessary injuries. Taking the easy route, he turned the shower off, cast a drying charm over the both of them and gathered Draco’s unresisting body into his arms. They landed on his bed a few seconds later, Lincoln’s legs finally giving way, causing him to fall onto the soft mattress with a deep, satisfied sigh. Draco followed, folding himself gracefully into Lincoln’s side as he pulled the covers over them. Lincoln ran a hand down Draco’s back and, without giving it a second thought, cast a light Healing charm to make certain he had not caused Draco any lasting damage. A soft chuckle drew his attention to where Draco was watching him with an amused look in his eyes.

“I’m fine. In fact, I feel _really_ good; could almost go again in a few hours...” Draco murmured as he leant in to brush their lips together.

Lincoln could see the exhaustion Draco was obviously trying to hold back; exhaustion that matched his own. “Sleep, cariad; you’ll need your energy if you want a repeat performance.”

Draco grinned before settling down against Lincoln’s chest. “Promises, promises,” was the last thing Lincoln recalled hearing before sleep claimed him.

*~*

An insistent tapping sound woke Draco a few hours later. Frowning as he reached for Link, Draco let out a small, disapproving noise as his hand found only warm covers where Link was supposed to be. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before focussing on the figure of his naked partner moving towards the window where the tapping sound was coming from. Flopping down onto his back, Draco smiled as he admired the movement of the moonlight over Link’s body. It was a rare occasion that he got to watch him walking around naked and he enjoyed it as his arse and thighs gave several rather pleasurable throbs. All thoughts of following up on his body’s apparent interest flew from Draco’s mind, however, when Link opened the window and a small, feathery bullet careened into the room.

“What the hell is that?”

Draco shoved himself up into a sitting position as he watched the tiny owl zooming around the room, twittering happily. He knew he had seen something like this before, but the where and the when were eluding him. It was not until Link reached up and grabbed it, holding it carefully in both his hands, that it suddenly clicked.

“ _Weasley_ ,” Draco practically growled as he rose out of the bed and moved to stand in front of Link, glaring down at the struggling owl.

“‘Weasley’ as in that red-headed family? I take it this is for you then.”

“I’m sorry,” Draco murmured as he leant in to press his lips to Link’s. “He’s never tried to contact me before. Ow, the little shit tried to bite me,” he grumbled as he stepped back, trying to ignore Link’s quiet chuckle.

He scowled at the owl as he took it from Link, holding it out from his chest and stomach as he pulled the short message from its leg. It began to zoom around the room once again as soon as he released it, but he ignored it in favour of finding out exactly what Weasley wanted.

_Draco,_

_I’m sorry to have to bother you, but we’ve tried everything else we can think of short of resorting to Stunners. I don’t really want to say too much in a letter, so I’ll keep it short. Something has happened between Harry and Severus and Severus has holed himself up in the Hog’s Head in Hogsmeade. Ron and I have tried to convince him to come back and sort things out with Harry, but the last time we tried, he hexed Ron. I really wouldn’t ask if we had any other options left to us, but he won’t let anyone else near him. He has always liked you, so I figured maybe he wouldn’t be so hostile towards you. If you could please just consider coming to Hogsmeade and at least talking to him, we would be incredibly grateful._

_Hermione._

Draco sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the strange letter. He could not work out why those three would require _him_ to come in and help if Severus was refusing to speak to any of them. He could not see what he could do that none of them could; especially Potter who, after all, was the man’s mate. Still, his damnable curiosity had been piqued by the request, leaving him wondering exactly what Potter had gotten himself into this time. He must have looked worried, as Link sank down beside him on the bed, his arm coming around Draco’s shoulders.

“Dray?”

“I’m sorry, I –” Draco heaved out a frustrated sigh before meeting Link’s concerned eyes. “Something’s apparently gone wrong back at the school, something to do with Severus. They want me to go out there to see if I can help.”

Something unidentifiable flashed through Link’s eyes as Draco stood to dress. Grabbing clothing at random from the floor and dresser, Draco realised as soon as he was dressed that he was actually wearing one of Link’s Queen t-shirts. It absolutely swamped him, making him look like a child playing dress-up. He huffed out a frustrated noise and started to take it off, but was prevented by strong arms circling around him.

“Leave it; it’s kinda sexy.”

“I don’t aim for ‘sexy’ when I’m going to see Potter and Severus, Link.”

“Mmm, you’d better not.” There was a strange tone to Link’s voice that Draco had never heard before. He did not have to wait long to discover exactly what it was. “But this is long enough to cover what’s mine.”

Link’s voice was low as he squeezed Draco’s arse, sending shivers down his spine. This was the first time Draco had heard anything near to jealousy in Link’s voice and it stirred something deep inside him, filling him with a combination of shock that Link would assume he had any kind of interest in either Potter or Severus and a desperate, burning need to make certain Link knew that he had nothing to worry about. Waving a hand, Draco loosened the fabric of the jeans before turning in Link’s arms.

“Better?”

“Mmm... Go now or I’ll have problems letting you leave.”

“Link?” Draco resisted Link’s efforts to push him away towards the door. “I _am_ yours; only yours.”

The soft growl and harsh kiss he received in response were worth the effort. He allowed Link to push him away then and exited the flat through the floo, heading for the Potion Master’s quarters in Hogwarts.

“What the fuck is _he_ doing here? _That’s_ why you wanted Pig? You wrote to _Malfoy_?”

The harsh contrast between the soft, welcoming feeling of Link’s flat and the hostility that met Draco when he stepped out of Potter’s floo at Hogwarts nearly took his breath away. Deciding to simply ignore Weasley’s rudeness, Draco instead focussed on Granger in front of him.

“What’s going on?”

“Their bond isn’t sealed properly from Harry’s side.” Her voice was blunt, almost clinical, which Draco much preferred to her trying to pretend that they could become friends. “They had one hell of a screaming match, from what Harry’s told us and then Severus left. No, he didn’t reject him; he just left. Ron and I found him at the Hog’s Head about an hour ago and tried to talk him into coming back. He sent a hex at Ron, so we figured that if he saw someone he didn’t consider an enemy, maybe he would be willing to come back.”

Draco cast his eyes over the scene in front of him: Weasley’s defensive body language, Potter slumped in a chair by the fire looking like hell warmed over, and Granger looking at him with pleading eyes. Sighing as he realised that he actually _wanted_ to help, Draco found himself wondering if this was Link’s influence on him; softening his usual gruff reactions. _I certainly never gave a shit before I met him..._

“Draco?”

Giving himself a mental shake, Draco focussed back on Granger. “Fine. _If_ I can convince him to return, I’ll bring him here.” He started for the door but paused just before exiting. “How drunk is he, exactly?”

“You might need to carry him,” was Granger’s shamed-sounding response.

Draco snarled as he made his way up through the castle and out onto the grounds. He supposed that it could be seen as a good sign that they had come to him for help with Severus, but it really was a pain. Especially considering that he would much rather be back with Link, dispelling that flash of jealousy he had seen in his eyes. He Apparated to the front of the Hog’s Head the second he exited Hogwarts grounds.

It was not difficult to find Severus, as he was sitting – if the slump of his body on the stool could be called that – at the bar, his head resting on his folded arms. There were empty glasses near his elbow and Draco desperately hoped that Severus had not drunk every one of them. Moving closer, Draco had to resist the temptation to cover his nose with the sleeve of the t-shirt as the combination of stale alcohol, sweat and vomit assaulted his senses. The thought that maybe Severus had passed out crossed his mind as he gingerly took the seat next to him.

“Severus?” Draco reached out a finger to poke at the man’s side. He let out a whoosh of breath as an irritated hand swiped at him.

“Fuck off.”

“Charming as ever when you’re pissed, I see.” Draco knew he would never get away with speaking to him like that if he was sober. “Glad to see some things never change. Come on then; you’ve got a mate waiting for you.”

“‘Mate’,” Draco could hear the sneer despite not being able to see it. “He don’t – doesh – _doesn’t_ want me... No reashon he should.” _For fuck’s sake, here we go._ “He lied ‘bout everything.”

Severus raised his head at this last, giving Draco a look at his flushed features and bloodshot, unfocussed eyes. The fact that Severus sat there, continuing to blink at him in an apparent attempt to bring him into focus gave Draco the impression that he was about to hear the real reason Severus had run tonight.

“Lucius,” Severus finally came out with, seeming pleased with himself. Draco did not bother to correct him. “You got a mate. One that loves you. Fuckin’ bastard. Harry’ll leave when he gets sick o’me. Fuckin’ Elf bastard. I hate him... but not, y’know?”

Draco merely sat staring at his ex-Professor in wide-eyed astonishment. He had only ever seen one other person this drunk before and that had been a crazy man who had tried to accost his mother when they had been out shopping when he was a child. He sat up straighter when it became obvious that Severus required a response.

“You love him.” It was a statement rather than a question as Draco already knew it was the truth; he had seen it with his own eyes.

“Yep.”

“And he loves you.”

“He does?”

The flicker of hope across Severus’s face would have made Draco laugh if it had not looked so incredibly pathetic. Desperately hoping that Severus did not remember any of this in the morning, Draco leant closer as though he was about to tell the other man a secret. “Yes, he does. And he wants you to come back to your rooms now, ok?”

Severus seemed to consider the statement for a few long minutes, staring down into an empty glass. He was about to receive another jab to the ribs when he suddenly heaved himself up off the stool. Draco had just enough warning to catch him as his legs gave way beneath him, preventing him from crashing to the sticky floor.

“Goin’ ‘ome,” Severus slurred into Draco’s ear with a stifled hiccup.

_Only if I can carry you, apparently._ He knew he would have to cast a feather-light charm when they got outside so he could drag Severus back to the school without injuring himself. Apparating them to the gates of the school the second he made it out of the door, Draco allowed Severus to fall to his hands and knees, knowing the effect cold air had on the incredibly drunk. He watched impassively, a hand resting between Severus’s shoulder blades as he brought up whatever was in his stomach. Draco let him rest there for half a minute after he had finished heaving, not wanting to have vomit to clean off himself. Hauling him back to the dungeons was surprisingly easy after casting the feather-light, as all Draco had to do was guide him through the castle. Potter rushed out to greet them as soon as Draco opened the door to the classroom, wrapping an arm around his mate’s waist and taking him straight into the bedroom. Draco put up with Weasley’s glares and Granger’s thanks while waiting for Potter to return, wishing his good manners would allow him to simply leave.

“Thanks for that, Draco.” Draco spun at the sound of Potter’s exhaustion-laden voice. “Look, I’ve had an idea about the debt. Come by my birthday party this Friday; I’ll have sorted part of it out by then. You don’t have to stay for the whole thing, just so we can talk about it, yeah?”

Draco was unable to find it within himself to sneer at the suggestion when Potter looked this run-down. He agreed as he stepped up to the floo, his mind now focussed on getting back to Link and their warm bed. He stripped the clothing off on his way to the bedroom and smiled as Link turned to greet him with a soft kiss as he settled beneath the covers.

“Everything ok?”

“Mmm, better than what it was, at least. Turns out Potter’s some kind of Elf and their bond isn’t sealed properly.” Draco did not notice when Link froze beside him at his words as he drifted happily off to sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Lincoln shivered as he sat staring mindlessly into the fire in his living room, although he was certain the cool air had nothing to do with it. He had not slept a wink since Draco had come back the night before with the news that Harry Potter was ‘some kind of Elf’. It was at times like this that he desperately wished he was a ‘normal’ wizard; the times when his Elven side was warring with the rest of him. He had fought it back multiple times as he sat there, knowing that it was against the secrecy laws governing Wood Elves for him to allow Draco to know of his heritage. Of course, that knowledge was causing guilt and fear to settle in his chest, making it somewhat difficult to breathe properly.

The same few questions had been racing through his mind over and over again and he was no closer to having any answers than when he had staggered out of bed a few hours before, dragged on his boxers and sagged down onto the lounge. _Why is Draco not freaking out about Potter being an Elf? What kind of Elf is he, for that matter? If he is a Wood Elf, would I be able to speak to him about it? Is he able to speak to others about it?_ The final question floating through his mind was something he had been asking himself ever since the first night he had met Draco: _How can you be so fucking self-centred?_ He knew that if he was ever to be claimed then his relationship with Draco would have to end, as he would be required to give his mate the obligatory three months to see if they could seal the bond. The idea horrified him, as he knew that if – and when – it happened, Draco would not know the true reason he had left, only that he had. _Maybe if he knew, it wouldn’t be a problem? If I was claimed, maybe he would wait; he_ might _even be willing to stay with me afterwards..._ Lincoln snorted at the ridiculous idea, knowing that the fact that he had lied to Draco would most likely mean the proper end of their relationship. Slumping forward to hug his knees as the questions began running through his mind yet again, Lincoln shivered once more as his skin prickled, although he did not know why this time. His Elf began making a valiant attempt to surface as he thought back on his time with Draco. _If I was stronger, I would just set him free. He doesn’t need me; in fact he could find someone else incredibly easily._ He squeezed his eyes shut as pain shot through him at the idea of Draco moving on without him, his Elf seeming to object loudly to the thought.

“Link?” Lincoln bit back a groan at the sound of Draco’s sleep-roughened voice. “What are you doing out here? Merlin, you’re freezing!”

Lincoln felt the warm blanket from the back of the lounge being draped around him, and shuddered as Draco’s warm fingers brushed against his skin. Those fingers trailed down to attempt to tilt Lincoln’s face upwards, but he refused to move, knowing Draco could read him like a book. There was no need for Draco to see the turmoil in his eyes, as he would not be able to give him a satisfactory answer as to why he looked so distressed.

“Will you please look at me?” Lincoln heard Draco sigh as he shook his head. Draco’s fingers ran through his hair, coming to a stop as he brushed them along the shell of Lincoln’s ear. The fingers left him as Draco fell backwards with a thump and startled gasp. “What the f... ah, Link? Is there something I should know?”

The strange tone to Draco’s voice forced Lincoln to glance up at him, a slight frown creasing his brow. He watched in confusion as Draco’s eyes widened, unsure of what had startled him. “Dray?”

Draco took a deep, slightly shaky breath before moving to trace a thumb along Lincoln’s cheekbone. “Your eyes are, um... glowing.”

Lincoln was on his feet in a matter of seconds, fear and panic fuelling his steps as he put some distance between the two of them. _He’s going to run. There’s no way he’ll stay with me now he knows that I’ve lied to him._ His stomach swooped at the thought, his Elf going into full-on panic mode. His mind cleared to another, much more terrifying thought after a few seconds: _what will happen to me if the Elders find out that he knows about me?_ His family and clan meant too much to Lincoln for him to able to survive being cast out by the Elders, even if he knew that his family would never abandon him. One of the reasons pubs like the Lucky existed was so that Elves who had decided to live away from their clans could have some contact with their own kind; they grew up in such close-knit communities that they craved the company of other Elves after being away for a while.

Coming to a stop with his forehead resting on the cool wood of his bedroom door, Lincoln wrapped his arms around his chest as the panic attack took a firm hold of him. The erratic beating of his heart echoed through his ears, combining with a loud buzzing to eliminate any other sounds; his skin prickled with a cold sweat without the blanket around his shoulders to keep him warm; he swallowed hard against the rise of nausea and tried to fight back the illogical voice in the back of his mind telling him it was not a panic attack, but a heart attack he was suffering from. He could not get a proper lungful of air and his head began to swim with the lack of oxygen just before he felt himself being turned and pulled into Draco’s arms. One of Draco’s hands tangled through Lincoln’s dreads, holding him carefully in place as the other ran soft touches up and down his spine. The vibration of Draco’s voice seemed to have some kind of calming influence on his alarmed Elf, almost as though he had managed to reach through the chaos in Lincoln’s mind. Lincoln was unsure if Draco was actually speaking – the buzzing in his ears was too loud to differentiate between the sounds he was hearing – but found that it did not really matter. The only thing he could focus on right at that moment was the fact that Draco had not left: he had obviously seen Lincoln’s Elven side and he was still there, offering comfort, instead of leaving him to be overtaken by the panic attack currently gripping him. His breath shuddered through him as his Elven side began to calm down, allowing his heart rate to slowly return to normal. He focussed on Draco’s soothing voice as soon as the buzzing in his ears died down.

“That’s it; slow, deep breaths... Everything will be just fine.”

“No, no, Dray,” Lincoln staggered as he forcefully pulled himself away from the grip Draco had on him. “It _can’t_ be fine. If the Elders find out about you knowing about this –” he waved a hand over himself “– then they’ll kick me out. You knowing about my heritage goes against every single privacy and secrecy law that has been set up since the Statute of Secrecy was signed. No matter how much I love you, what I have just done is illegal in every single British clan there is.”

A sharp intake of breath was the only warning Lincoln had before Draco was on him, snogging him senseless. Not that there was much room for sense left in his panic- and now lust-flooded mind. He had no idea what had prompted such a strong reaction, but his first instinct was to push Draco away and demand to be told what the hell he thought he was doing. His Elven side, however, would not allow him to reject Draco’s advances and actually seemed to be taking comfort in the contact. Surrendering himself to the sensations running through him, Lincoln allowed Draco to take control of the kiss. The sense of safety and security he got from Draco as the enthralling scent of sandalwood enveloped him almost made Lincoln weak-kneed. His arms wrapped tightly around Draco’s trim waist and something in the back of Lincoln’s mind acknowledged and began to appreciate the fact that Draco was still completely naked as he pressed closer. He did not permit Draco to step back when he broke the kiss, much preferring to hold him as close as he could.

“Dray?”

“You love me? You just said you love me.”

Lincoln’s eyes widened as his Elf flared, sending hope soaring in his chest through the residual panic and fear. The fact that he had just confessed his love to Draco in a moment of complete anxiety slowly began to sink in and his already overloaded nerves jumped again as he squeezed his eyes shut.

“No, no don’t. No more of that now you’ve started calming down,” Draco murmured as his moved his hands to cup Lincoln’s face. His voice dropped a register as he continued. “There’s no need to panic anymore: I’m not scared of you, or of what you are. I love you, too, and _nothing_ is going to change that.”

Lincoln’s muscles began to relax despite himself. Opening his eyes to confirm what he had just been told, pleasure rushed through him as he saw the truth shining out of Draco’s eyes: he saw nothing but love there.

“Come on; you’re exhausted. You need sleep.”

“I’m not going back to bed,” Lincoln murmured, despite the fact that he was having trouble keeping his eyes open now that the adrenalin rush was wearing off.

He vaguely registered that Draco was leading him into the living room, guiding him carefully around the obstacles as they moved toward the lounge. Draco pushed him down onto one end of the lounge and re-wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. Knowing that Draco was even less dressed than he was, Lincoln moved closer, laying down in his lap to keep him warm as well. The sound of his partner’s laugh vibrated through him as he settled himself comfortably. _Mate_ , a little voice in the back of his mind corrected him just before he succumbed to sleep.

*~*

Harry huffed out an impatient breath as he paced in front of the fire. He figured that he had subconsciously been seeking the comfort of contact with his mate in his sleep, as he had awoken draped across Sev’s chest that morning. It really was not that surprising, considering the fight the night before, as well as the fact that Sev had left straight after it. Feeling the need to alleviate the remnants of the worry he had experienced the night before, Harry had stayed as still as possible for about an hour, simply enjoying the feeling of contact with his mate before his pressing need for the bathroom got the best of him. After retrieving one of the hangover potions Sev kept on hand and leaving it on the bedside table, Harry had retreated to begin pacing the length of the hearthrug.

Different versions of the conversation he knew he and Sev had to have had been running through his mind as he paced. The more hopeful side of him had the conversation ending in a day of Harry being shagged into the mattress; the slightly more logical side of himself told him it would take quite a long time for him to earn back the trust he had shattered the night before. There were definitely things he knew they had to address: why Harry had felt the need to not tell Sev the bond was not sealed and how they would discover how to seal the bond being the foremost. The other nagging point that Harry had not been able to shove to the back of his mind was how this revelation was going to affect their relationship. If he was going to be honest, this last point was the thing that had occupied most of his thoughts since he had awoken. Harry was unwilling to give up the closeness they had enjoyed over the past few months, but knew that if that was what Sev desired, then he would be unable to deny him it. If he had to put up with not having as much contact with his mate as he wanted, then he would, especially if it led to Sev realising how much Harry needed him. A quiet shuffle of a step in the doorway to the bedroom had him spinning around to face his scowling mate.

“Sev?” He hated the hopeful tone to his voice, but was unable to prevent it.

“Harry.”

Sev looked bone-achingly tired: dark circles contrasted sharply with the pale skin of his cheeks and the lines forming around his mouth dragged it down into a glower. The biggest difference, however, was the uncertain stance. It looked strange on a man who was always so self-assured, but Sev was leaning against the doorjamb, his eyes shifty, one hand brought up to rub along the opposite arm. He looked almost as though he did not know what to do, or how to react around Harry, which caused pain and guilt to shoot straight through Harry’s chest. Fighting back the incredibly strong impulse to go to him and soothe away the hurts he had caused with his own stupidity, Harry instead took a small step forward, testing out how Sev would react to him.

“I – Can... Can we talk?” He had tried to keep the pleading tone out of his voice and thought he had succeeded, as Sev did not sneer at him.

Harry watched carefully for any changes in Sev’s demeanour as he glanced around the room, looking everywhere but at Harry. The past few months had made him sensitive to the changes in his mate’s expression that were subtle and unnoticeable to others, but what he was seeing there now was only serving to confuse him. Whereas he would have expected Sev to have clamped down his Occlumency shields to the strongest point, his face was actually incredibly open and expressive, which did not sit well with Harry at all. Sev had always, always, been cautious with his emotions, even with Harry after they had bonded, so to see him so open and unguarded was unnerving, to say the least.

“Sev?”

Having those usually impenetrable black eyes focussed completely on him for the first time that morning took Harry’s breath away. All the anger from the previous night had apparently drained away and, while he did not look _vulnerable_ exactly, the way Harry would describe the look was ‘haunted’. Having to resist the urge to look away, Harry held that gaze, knowing instinctively from the skittish impression Sev was giving off that if he broke the mood, he would run again. He took another cautious step closer, still unsure if Sev would accept any comfort he offered. The movement, unfortunately, seemed to startle Sev out of the trance he had been under. He lowered his eyes and straightened up. By the time he glanced back at Harry, his face was an impassive mask, his eyes as hard as the chips of obsidian they so closely resembled sometimes. Harry felt his heart sink, taking his hopes of reconciliation along with it.

“You wish to ‘talk’? About what, exactly? The fact that, despite knowing what an unbelievably dimwitted idea it was, you still chose to lie to me about your bond?” The hard edge to Sev’s voice caused regret and guilt to pool in Harry’s stomach. The fact that he had used the term ‘your bond’ instead of ‘our’ added pain on top of the emotions churning in Harry’s stomach. “No? Well then, how about the fact that you have played me for the veriest fool? In front of your two lackeys, no less. Or that you seem to be under the misapprehension that _anything_ you could say to me at this particular moment could make any of your actions over the past few months seem like anything more than an elaborate ruse to advance whatever game you have been playing?”

Harry stood frozen in front of the fire, his breath coming in short gasps as the harsh words flowed over him. He had known that this reaction was the most likely scenario for how that morning was going to play out, but it had still hit him like a freight train, almost winding him with the strength of the disdain in Sev’s voice. Allowing his eyes to close briefly, Harry took a deep, hopefully steadying breath and let it out slowly. Sev’s expression had not changed when Harry met his eyes again.

“Yes.” The fleeting look of shock that flittered across Sev’s face before he replaced the mask sent a small feeling of triumph through Harry. “Those are all things we need to discuss; _your_ misapprehension that I’ve been playing a game with you in particular.” He knew that baiting Sev like this was not a good idea, but he had been unable to resist trying to make the mask slip again.

“Do not think you can simply treat this as you would any other thing in your life, Potter.” There was the sneer Harry had been waiting for. “I was a complete fool for giving in to my creature instincts and allowing you _any_ level of trust in the first place. I should have known better, but was drawn in by the idea that _you_ of all people would not treat your mate with the kind of disregard my mother suffered through. I must thank you for shattering my delusion early on in this farce of a relationship. Now, if you will excuse me...”

Harry stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds before something in the back of his mind prompted him into action. Moving quickly, he managed to step in front of Sev just before he reached the door to the classroom.

“ _No_ , Sev; we have to talk about this. I can’t just let you walk out.”

“You can and will, Potter, unless you wish to run the risk of being hexed senseless.”

Shock jolted through Harry’s veins so swiftly he felt as though they had been set alight. He wrapped his arms protectively around his stomach as he stared up into the infuriated face of his mate.

“You wouldn’t.”

He refused to flinch as Sev closed the gap between them, leaning down so that their noses almost touched.

“ _Try me._ ”

Harry gasped as he staggered out of Sev’s way, his arms still wrapped around the small bump of his stomach. He knew, somewhere in the back of his mind that Sev would probably not have chanced hurting his own unborn child, but Harry’s protective instincts had leapt into overdrive at the malice in those two simple words. He glanced back to the doorway as he heard footsteps exiting the room. The last view he had of his mate was of his retreating back as he stalked through the classroom, heading Merlin-only-knows-where.

*~*

_He loves me._

Draco flexed his toes experimentally. He had not shifted his position in the four and a bit hours since Link had lain down on top of him, for fear of waking him. Part of the reason was because he knew Link was exhausted, but mostly he had not woken him because he needed time to himself. The time had been spent alternating between delirious joy over the fact that Link reciprocated his feelings and examining the glut of information he had had dumped on him that morning. Beneath the exhilaration that had been coursing through him since the second Link had confessed his feelings had lurked a creeping feeling of betrayal. When he had first focussed on it, Draco acknowledged that it did feel as though Link had spent the almost two months they had been together lying to him about his heritage. He had not known how to react to that knowledge but, after concentrating on it for a while, he had remembered something else Link had yelled at him while he had been in the midst of that panic attack: that Draco knowing about his heritage was ‘illegal in every single British clan there is’. This had left Draco with the annoying feeling that he did not have all the information he required to make an informed decision on how to react. It nagged at him, but he had pushed it aside to wait until Link was awake enough to give him the rest of the information he needed.

_He loves me._

The similarities between his situation and that of Severus and Harry had not been lost on Draco either. However, after seeing the state Harry had been in the night before, Draco had come to a snap decision: he was going to use Severus as a model of how _not_ to react in a situation like this. While he knew he was not Link’s mate, as Severus was to Harry, he also acknowledged that he had seen something in Link’s eyes earlier that told him that by leaving he would destroy any hope he had of continuing this relationship, even as friends.

_He loves me._

Draco froze when Link stirred in his lap. The hand that had been absentmindedly rubbing circles on the small of Link’s back stilled as Draco heard him waking up; he had come to recognise the signs over the past few months. The rush of cooler air over Draco’s skin as Link sat up caused him to shiver, but not as much as the fact that Link moved immediately to the opposite end of the lounge, his eyes averted. The vulnerability that Draco saw in Link’s body language sent shock rushing through him, as he had become accustomed to viewing Link as the strong, steady one in their relationship.

 _He_ did _say he loved me, right?_ “Link?” Draco hated the uncertainty in his voice but, damn it, what else was he supposed to be feeling when the bloody man reacted to him like that? “Are you alright?”

Link huffed out what sounded like a slightly disbelieving laugh. “Am I alright? Well, that will depend on you, really, and if you’re able to live with what you’ve discovered about me. I will, of course, understand if you can’t – not many people could – but if you decide that you can’t, then no, I won’t be ‘alright’.”

The stark honesty in the words caused Draco’s chest to ache and prompted him into immediate action. He moved down the lounge try to force Link to meet his eyes. “Love isn’t a partial thing, Link. I meant what I said earlier: I love you. Even the parts of you that glow.”

The harsh kiss Link pulled him into startled Draco enough that he lost his balance, landing in Link’s lap in a tangle of frantic limbs and lips. He struggled against the blanket for a few seconds before Link gathered him in his arms properly, twisting so that Draco’s head rested on the armrest of the lounge, his legs stretched out along the lounge and Link hovered over him, trailing hot kisses along his neck. Link moved back up when Draco tugged on a handful of dreads, opening glowing deep blue eyes that held all the amazement Draco felt flowing through himself.

“Go on and ask; I’ll answer everything I can.”

“What are the privacy laws you think you’ve broken?” He knew Link probably expected him to ask about his creature, but this was the more important thing to Draco at the moment: if something bad was going to happen to Link because of him, he needed to know about it and how to stop it if it did happen.

“There’s a privacy charm that has been placed over everyone with Wood Elf blood. It means if we attempt to tell anyone who does not have Wood Elf blood about our heritage, a magical force presses down on us, making it almost impossible to speak. That’s why I couldn’t tell you...” Draco leant up to brush his lips against Link’s as relief rushed through his veins. He had not been _lied to_ , perse; Link had been physically incapable of telling him. “If the Elders of my clan discover I’ve let you know about me, they’ll have to punish me.”

“Then we’ll just have to not let them find out, won’t we?” Draco pulled Link down on top of him properly when he kissed him again, enjoying the feeling of having Link’s weight pressing him into the soft cushions of the lounge. “Look, my parents have showed me what a nuisance having an Inheritance can be over the years, but unless there’s a mate you’ve managed to keep hidden these past few months, I don’t see why we can’t work with this.”

“Your...” Link paused, pushing himself up onto his knees and staring blankly at a spot just over Draco’s shoulder. “Your _parents_ have shown you? You have creature blood?”

It sounded very much like he was trying to keep his voice level and Draco could not prevent a small frown at the serious tone. “Yes, well, only technically; I didn’t have an Inheritance, so it doesn’t _mean_ anything.”

“‘Only technically’... ‘Doesn’t mean anything’... _That’s_ why I’m so drawn to him...” Draco watched in astonishment as Link fell back against the opposite armrest, sighing in obvious relief. “I’ll have to admit to Gwen that she was right.”

“ _What_ are you raving about?” Draco, sick of having things kept from him, could not keep the irritation out of his voice. He let out an undignified squawk when Link grabbed him and pulled him down on top of him, a wide smile lighting up his face.

“You and how utterly perfect you are for me.” His smile widened when Draco grinned and reached to brush his fingers along the shell of his pointed ear. “Have you ever wanted a bond like that yourself?”

Draco paused in his examination of Link’s ear to look him in the eyes, trying to decide what had prompted the question. “Only for the past eighteen years, but I know it’s not possible, so... It _isn’t_ possible, is it?”

Link’s answer was obvious in his eyes and wide smile as Draco leant in to kiss him softly. “It will be in a few weeks, if you’re open to it.”

Now feeling much more secure in the knowledge that Link really must love him if he was willing to offer something like that, Draco could not help the sarcasm that escaped in his answer. “Well, I’ll have to consider that for a while: do I want to have a bond with the man I have fallen hopelessly in love with? It’ll be a tough decision, that one.” The laugh he let out as Link flipped him over, pinning him to the lounge again and kissing him soundly was a little delirious, expressing all the joy that was currently running through him. “My Elfling,” he murmured when Link allowed him to surface for air.

“I love you, Dray.”

Draco was prevented from responding by Link’s lips covering his in a possessive kiss. It did not matter after a few seconds, as he lost himself in the sensations flowing through him.


	17. Chapter 17

“Can a man not even get some privacy in his own bathroom?”

Harry sighed as his forehead came to rest on the cool glass of the bathroom mirror. It was the day before his 18th birthday and he had spent the past five days being snapped at by his pissed off mate. He knew that Severus was baiting him – that he was aiming for Harry’s sore points – but sometimes he could not help rising to the challenge Severus had laid out. He was nearing the fourth month of his pregnancy, which meant an aching back and an increasing need to pee, but it also meant that his hormones had started kicking in a lot more than usual. And those hormones tended to lead to him being in an even shittier mood than Severus at the moment, which was really saying something.

“You want me to leave, is that it? Because I am coming _this_ close to doing just that.” Harry stormed out of the bathroom into the bedroom, to face off with his snarling mate. “Grimmauld is still empty. You remember that place, right? Owned by one of the only men in the world to ever actually _care_ about me?”

Bringing up Sirius in this way was a low blow and Harry knew it, but there was only so far he was willing to allow himself to be pushed and he had reached that limit early that morning. Severus – as Harry had taken to thinking of him, because the man standing before him simply _could not_ be _Sev_ , the man he had come to know – turned from the door to the living room, sneer firmly in place.

“Is that what you want, Potter? To leave?” There was a tone to his deep voice that Harry had trouble placing; one that drained the anger from Harry as fast as it had built up.

“No,” it came out in a harsh whisper as Harry stared up at his mate, desperation and misery flooding through him. “No, what I want is _you_. I want you to stop snapping at me. I want you to talk to me. I want you to listen to me instead of just discarding everything we’ve built together with derision. I want _you_ back, Sev.”

They just stood there for a few seconds, Harry breathing heavily with his arms wrapped once again around his softly swollen middle; a habit he had picked up due to the deep sense of loss he had been feeling over the past few days. It comforted him to know that at least something in his life was perfect when Severus was being a bastard. He was absolutely determined that no matter the state of his relationship with Severus when he gave birth, their child would know nothing but a life full of love. Even if he had to raise it on his own.

“Tell me Potter, just how am I expected to believe anything that comes out of your mouth? You say that you want me – that you love me, even – and yet you have spent nearly three full months lying to me. How am I supposed to take that?”

The cold, detached tone that was now in Severus’s voice sliced through Harry, letting him know that there would be no chance for reconciliation that day. It set his nerves on edge, causing his anger to return full-force as Severus moved out the door into the living room. His movements were as graceful as usual and Harry fought strongly against the underlying desire he still felt for the bastard. His body’s reaction to his mate’s physical presence only added to his anger and he stomped out of the bedroom, slamming the door open hard enough so that it bounced against the wall.

“Severus, if you would just listen to me, you’d know I am not lying!” Harry could hear the frustration in his voice when Severus did not even bother to turn around as he answered.

“Spare me the melodrama, Potter.” With this last, biting retort, he stalked out of the room, his robes whipping behind him.

Spinning around with a growl of frustration, Harry jumped as a glass left on the dining table from breakfast shattered into a hundred pieces. Groaning as he fetched his wand to clean up the mess – there was no way he would trust himself with wandless magic when he was in such a foul mood – Harry thanked his lucky stars that he had been across the room when it had shattered. The last thing he needed was to have to deal with going to the hospital ward alone and having to face Madame Pomfrey’s questions. He Vanished the mess just as Ron came barging in through the door to the classroom.

“Don’t tell me he’s left again?”

“I won’t.”

Ron sighed as he flopped down into one of the chairs by the fire. “Harry, mate, _when_ are you going to explain to me why you’re staying with him?”

Harry huffed out a sigh of his own and moved to sit on the end of the lounge. “I’m not sure I know myself, really...”

“I bet you told Hermione.”

“That’s different! She’s a _girl_...”

Harry glanced over to his best friend, seeing a strange sparkle to his eyes before they both began to laugh. He had a feeling that they were both thinking of Ron having the ‘emotional range of a teaspoon’. The sensation of the tension leaving him was one of the reasons he was so thankful that Ron had taken some time away from helping the twins at the store in Diagon Alley; he would never admit to it, of course, but Harry knew that Ron knew he needed the distraction. Whereas time spent with Hermione inevitably turned to discussions of his relationship – or lack thereof at the moment – the days he spent with Ron were full of wizard chess, exploding snap and a distinct lack of discussions about feelings. Which suited Harry perfectly right at that moment as he dragged the chess set out and settled in for a day with his best friend.

*~*

Lincoln smiled as he lay back on the picnic rug Draco had brought with him. They were in the park near St. Mungo’s again and he had just introduced Draco to the delights of the local Chinese takeaway. He knew that Draco did not get to indulge his craving for fatty foods at home, so he figured that there was no real harm in introducing him to muggle fast food. His smile widened when Draco lay down along his side, his head resting on Lincoln’s shoulder.

“No, don’t move: you’re a comfy pillow,” Draco sighed as Lincoln attempted to adjust his position.

Chuckling as he moved anyway, Lincoln placed an arm along Draco’s back, using it to pull him closer. His other hand began stroking through the fine, silky strands of pale blond hair. “Better?”

“Much.”

Lincoln had spent the past four days on an incredible high after Draco had accidentally discovered the truth about his nature. He had expected that Draco’s reaction would have been close to what he had described Snape as having: feeling hurt and betrayed enough so that it sounded like he had come close to rejecting his mate. Not that Draco was Lincoln’s mate, as he kept telling himself over and over again. Unfortunately, the logical part of him appeared to be losing the battle and he was thinking of Draco as his mate more often than not. The fact that they did not have an empathic connection as he would have had with his mate if he had ever been claimed apparently did not make a bit of difference to Lincoln’s Elven side; Draco had accepted him completely. _‘Even the parts of you that glow.’_ He had explained as much about his Elven nature to Draco as the privacy charm would allow him to, but it still prevented him from divulging anything about the bonding, including how long they had to wait until it was possible. It annoyed Lincoln no end when he was unable to speak due to the massive pressure the charm was placing on him, as he knew that he was going to bond with Draco in a little over a month. He was pulled out of his thoughts as Draco moved to hover over him, blocking out the late July sun.

“I love you,” Draco murmured before bringing their lips together in a soft kiss.

Humming in surprised pleasure, Lincoln deepened the kiss. His tongue slid inside and over the roof of Draco’s mouth, tasting sweet and sour pork and fried rice. The hand that had been resting on the small of Draco’s back moved to grip his hip, flexing there in an attempt to prevent himself from groping his lover in public. Draco did not make that attempt any easier by laughing into the kiss sliding his hand down the front of Lincoln’s shirt to come to a halt dangerously close to the top of Lincoln’s thigh. Breaking the kiss with a gasp, Lincoln grabbed Draco’s wrist and moved the hand off him, trying to glare at the smirk Draco sent him.

“What was that for?” His voice was not as strong as it normally was, causing Draco’s smirk to widen into a grin.

“Because I can,” came the smug-sounding reply, forcing a smile out of Lincoln as well. “I actually have a couple of things to ask you.”

The serious tone entered Draco’s voice so rapidly that Lincoln automatically assumed the worst. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, no, nothing’s wrong.” The casual wave of Draco’s hand through the air as he pushed himself up onto his knees sent relief flowing through Lincoln’s chest. Draco had become much more expressive over the past few weeks, allowing Lincoln to see past the barriers he still held up in most situations. “But I’ll get the slightly more awkward question out of the way first. Do you think it’d be possible for you to speak to Harry about what he should be expecting, or maybe how to seal his side of their bond?”

Frowning as he sat up, Lincoln ran a hand over his eyes, thinking hard. “I honestly have no idea. I know I can’t _directly_ tell him about my nature. I mean, it’d be different if we had run into each other at one of the clans or something like that; that way we’d both know about the other. But since he can’t know about me, I don’t know if the charm would let me tell him anything. If that makes sense.”

“Yeah, it does...” Draco paused, frowning in what appeared to be annoyance. “Look, you don’t have to worry about me telling anyone about you, but how the _hell_ can you stand this? Isn’t it frustrating?”

Offering up a small smile, Lincoln reached to brush a finger down the side of Draco’s face. “I tend to find anything that could have cost me _you_ to be a little more than just ‘frustrating’.” His smile widened as Draco reddened. “Tell you what: if you can manage to introduce us, I’ll do what I can.”

It was the best he could offer and he desperately hoped Draco would understand. He slipped his fingers beneath Draco’s chin and pressed, forcing Draco to meet his eyes. He was still a little red, staring up at him through a barrier of pale lashes. Lincoln’s stomach flipped at the sight and he could not resist leaning in to taste his lips again.

“I’ll talk to him tomorrow night at the party, see what he says. Now,” Draco grinned and moved back a little, obviously wanting to break the softer mood. “What do you want for your birthday?”

Lincoln let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a groan and a laugh even to his ears. Falling back onto the rug, he flung his arm over his eyes dramatically. “Nothing. I refuse to get older.”

He heard Draco laugh as he lay down on top of him again, resting his chin on his folded hands on Lincoln’s chest. “It’s only 27: it’s not the end of the world.”

“Coming from the bloody teenager,” Lincoln responded, trying to force the touch of humour out of his voice. He dropped his arm back down to the small of Draco’s back. “I don’t know. What did you get for yours this year?”

Draco managed to shock him once again by sliding up his chest and kissing him soundly. “You.”

Warmth spread through Lincoln’s chest at that response. Breathing in the scent of sandalwood that always clung to Draco’s skin, he thought that he would be content with just having Draco for his birthday as well.

*~*

“Alright Harry, I found him.”

Harry jumped at the sound of Hermione’s voice and sputtered as one of the Gobstones he was playing with squirted in his face. Shooting a glare at Ron – who was doubled over, trying to not let his laughter show – Harry cleared the game up with a sweep of his wand. Hermione had settled herself in one of the chairs in front of the fire, looking at the game with disdain. Harry watched in amusement as Ron moved the chair he had purloined from the dining table to the side of the chair Hermione was in, staring at her with a slightly stunned look before he saw Harry watching him. The day spent with Ron had improved Harry’s mood immensely but, judging by the look on Hermione’s face, it was about to go downhill pretty soon.

“Let me guess... he tried to hex you?” He had given up trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice whenever he spoke of Severus.

“No, actually,” she folded Harry’s invisibility cloak and draped it over the arm of the chair. “He’s been in the library, trying to find information on the Wood Elves.”

Guilt weaved its way through Harry’s limbs at that. He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck in an attempt to stop the goosebumps that had sprouted there. “How do you know that that’s what he was doing? Did you actually speak to him?”

“Yes, I did.” Harry successfully managed to repress the surge of jealousy at the thought that Severus would speak to Hermione but not him and merely leant back into the cushions of the lounge, his expression unchanged. “Madame Pince says he’s been there for the past five days. He doesn’t eat lunch and brings back something from the kitchens for tea. She said that all he’s been doing is pouring over all these old books, but she doesn’t know what he’s been looking for.”

The guilt Harry had been feeling made itself known once again, turning his cheeks a dull red. He ducked his head to hide his reaction from his friends. _How is that possible? He doesn’t care about me anymore, why would he be looking up ways to help me? Maybe it’s not me he’s trying to help? If he manages to find a way to sort this bond out properly, he might be able to get away with the minimum amount of contact with me. That really wouldn’t surprise me anymore._

“Hermione, did Snape actually _say_ that that’s what he’s been doing?” Ron’s voice was hesitant, almost as though he was afraid to go against his girlfriend.

“Well, no, but the titles of the books all had to do with various magical creatures.” She sighed as she turned back to Harry. “He did say that he doesn’t know if he can trust you again, Harry. I’m sorry.”

Pain juddered through him as she confirmed what Harry had feared for the past five days: Severus no longer trusted him. There was something in the back of Harry’s mind that wanted him to collapse in a miserable heap, but he refused it, knowing that he had a baby to think about these days. And it seemed that it might wind up being just the two of them in the near future.

“It’s not your fault, Hermione. I guess I should have listened to that little voice in my head that told me that there was no way this was going to last.” He lowered his gaze again, not wanting to show them just how much the idea hurt.

“Wait a second; don’t start thinking the worst just yet. I think that he’s thinking that you won’t forgive him for leaving the way he has these past few days. That’s the impression I got, anyway. Maybe, if I got through to him enough tonight, he might come back here and you could consider forgiving him?” 

A surge of frustrated anger washed through Harry’s chest at her words. Squeezing his eyes shut, he finally allowed the anger he had been repressing to surge forward. “‘Forgive him’? Look, I get that I lied to him about the bond not being sealed, but he _left me_ , Hermione. He doesn’t want to talk about what happened, hell he doesn’t even look at me anymore! He doesn’t want to seal the bond so he can stay with me; he wants to seal it so he can continue with the supposedly perfect little life that he had before I came along and fucked it all up.” The anger drained from him almost as quickly as it had flared as soon as he had vented a little of what he had been thinking. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be taking that out on you.”

He paused as he sensed Severus entering the classroom beyond the door, which Hermione had left slightly ajar. He waited a few seconds, wondering if he was going to enter the room, but it seemed as though his mate was content to just listen to the conversation.

“Why the hell would Harry forgive that tosser anything, Hermione? Whose side are you on?” Harry glanced up at the indignant sound of Ron’s voice. He had crossed his arms across his chest and was frowning at Hermione almost as though she had insulted him.

“There are no ‘sides’ in this, Ronald,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “Despite what you may think, a bond between two people is actually quite serious. Once it has been sealed, even if it is only on one side, they have to tread very carefully, because if Snape’s Veela believes he has been rejected, his magic will slowly start to shut down.”

“So? It’s _Snape_ , Hermione. Don’t you remember how he’s always treated us? He hates you, he hates me, and he has always hated Harry, from the first time he laid eyes on him during the Sorting Ceremony. Why would it matter if he loses his magic?”

“It’d kill him.” Harry voiced the sudden realisation as soon as it came to mind, startling even himself. He had no idea if he was even right until he looked up and saw the look on Hermione’s face. A strange silence fell over them, seeming to suit the jumble of emotions that were racing through Harry at that moment. He almost jumped when Hermione spoke again.

“Maybe not kill him necessarily, Harry. There have been cases over the years of Veela surviving rejection, but what was left afterwards wasn’t what anyone would call a normal person. If they survive, and their mate doesn’t come back, then they tend to end up in St. Mungo’s Psychiatric ward. It’s not a pretty sight; a witch or wizard who has lost not only their magic, but also the one person in the world who would be able to save them.”

Revulsion raced through Harry’s veins, causing him to shudder in horror. “No, I don’t think... I couldn’t do that. Even if there was no relationship between us, no matter who my mate turned out to be, I don’t think I could just leave them to something like that.” He turned his gaze to Ron, trying to resist the urge to glare. “Besides that, Ron; he’s different around me now. I think the bond might be forcing him to be nice to me, or something, because until this happened, we had an actual proper relationship.”

It was a thought that had been wandering through Harry’s mind for a little while now and it felt good to be able to finally voice it. He knew that he may not be right – that he might have actually managed to destroy a relationship based off real, true love – but it was something that had been nagging at him for a while now. Of course, Hermione had to be the voice of logic in every situation and put her two cents in a few seconds later with a small frown.

“Harry, I’m not sure it’s possible for a bond to manipulate someone’s feelings. There have been a lot of couples who have simply kept up the required amount of physical contact between them, but it has never developed into an actual relationship after the bonding night. There has to be something beyond the desire to simply survive for your bond to have developed into what it is.”

“Yeah; his own stupid fear of being alone.”

He knew that Severus was listening in on everything they were saying and it gave him a great sense of satisfaction to be able to say to Hermione what he had wanted to say to Severus without actually acknowledging the fact that he was there. Hermione rolled her eyes at him just as Ron began shifting uncomfortably. Harry figured that the conversation turning to emotions had embarrassed him a little and that was confirmed by his next words.

“Look mate, we should really be getting back upstairs. I know it’s not during term, and that I’m not even a student anymore, but it still feels like if we get caught wandering around at night someone will take points off us. We can finish this tomorrow, yeah?” At least there was a touch of his usual humour in his voice as he stood, scraping the chair on the wooden floor. Harry decided to cut him a break and grinned.

“Ok, no problems, Ron. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“We’re taking care of everything, so don’t worry about the party.” Hermione sounded amused as well, although Harry did not know if it was at Ron’s reaction or not.

Settling himself back down on the end of the lounge as they left, Harry drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Are you going to stay out there all night, or are you coming in?” He kept his gaze on the fire as he heard the soft footsteps indicating that Severus had entered the room. “Don’t tell me you thought I couldn’t tell when you were close. This bond may be a pain in the arse, but one good thing about it is that it lets me know when you’re eavesdropping on my conversations with Ron and Hermione.” Unable to resist as he felt the other end of the lounge dip in, he turned to meet his mate’s eyes, trying desperately to suppress the ever-present trickle of desire. “You look as though I’m going to try and hex you. Believe me, if I hadn’t wanted you to hear what we were saying, I wouldn’t have let you.”

“I believe I have already been on the receiving end of a hex from you within the past few days, and I have no desire to repeat the experience.” Harry tentatively allowed himself to think that maybe Hermione had been right; maybe it was possible that they may just make it through this in one piece. “Granger was right, Harry: it is not possible for a bond of this sort to manipulate anyone’s feelings. Least of all in the way you believe it has manipulated me.”

Startled into self-consciousness at the intense stare he was being subjected to, Harry wrapped his arms around himself and stared into the fire. _Did he just admit what it sounded like he admitted?_ A jolt of strong desire that was not his own confirmed Harry’s suspicions and he had to resist simply throwing himself into his mate’s arms. He smiled as he turned and held his hand out instead. Harry raised a mocking eyebrow when Severus did not react, which had the desired effect of forcing the annoying man into action. Despite the fact that it was only Severus’s hand that he was touching, Harry felt himself calming down, the constant low-level panic in the back of his mind draining away slowly at the contact with his mate.

“I’ve missed this. No, wait; let me say this before I chicken out. I know I’ve said it before, but I need to know that you heard me. I’m sorry. Lying to you about something as important as this bond is one of the stupidest things I have ever done and I’ve gone out searching for a man I assumed was a serial killer at the time, so I know stupid when I see it. I’m not expecting you to forgive me straightaway, but I have something to ask you.” He paused here, trying to swallow down the sudden jolt of fear at what he was about to ask. “Please don’t leave me like this again. I don’t exactly know how to describe it, but not having you here is like a physical pain, right in my chest. It must have something to do with the unsealed bond, but not being able to touch you whenever I feel the need to, is driving me insane.”

Harry barely bit back a moan as he was scooped into his mate’s arms, the unexpected contact almost too much after five days of barely any. Nestled securely into Sev’s embrace, Harry’s eyes drifted shut, the thing he had been sensing more and more often in the back of his mind purring in pleasure. The touch of his mate’s hand over the small bump of Harry’s stomach caused a combination of desire and safety to course dizzyingly through him. It was that touch that told Harry that they really were going to be alright after all.

“I’m sorry, love, I should have realised. I did not have to wait long to seal my side of the bond, so I never experienced the same emotions and needs you are.”

“Mmm, ‘s good. Sev?” Harry raised his eyes – which were feeling heavier by the second – to look up at his mate. “If you’re not being manipulated by the bond, then...”

“I love you, Harry; you and anyone else who comes along.”

Unable to prevent it any longer, Harry moaned as he leant up to press their lips together. He could feel sleep overtaking him, despite the fact that other parts of him were definitely interested in continuing down the path that was obviously on offer as he felt Sev’s erection pressing into his thigh. He tried desperately to stay awake, but apparently he lost the fight, as he was jolted awake as Sev was climbing into bed behind him. He rolled over and draped himself across his mate’s bare chest.

“Love you, too, Sev.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so from now on, the only chapters I'll repeat will be the ones that are absolutely essential to the plot. :)


	18. Chapter 18

_Harry let out a deep groan as his painfully hard cock was engulfed by his mate’s hot, wet mouth. His back arching, his hands clenching into the sheet beneath him, Harry never wanted these sensations to end. Forcibly removing one of his hands from the damp sheet, he tangled it through the long strands of hair draped across his thigh, revelling in the feeling of them trailing softly through his fingers. He whimpered as Sev swallowed around him._

_“Sev... Gods, yes...”_

_Sev’s deep chuckle vibrated through Harry’s entire body, sending shivers creeping down his spine. Clenching the hand that was in his mate’s hair, Harry held his breath as he felt Sev’s mouth moving up so he could swirl his tongue around the head, moaning as he swallowed down the leaking pre-cum. Sev’s other hand moved to cup Harry’s tightening sac, massaging him softly, sending thrills of both lust and frustration through him. More, he needed just that little bit more to be able to..._

_“Come, Harry; let me taste you.” Sev pressed a finger to Harry’s perineum, tipping him over the edge in one swift movement._

Harry let out a cry as he came, doubling up with the force of it. This was the first orgasm he had had in six days and it was the most incredible thing he had ever felt: pleasure pulsed through him, centred on his cock and spreading sharply out through his limbs. Sev’s mouth never left him as he emptied himself in sharp spurts, encouraging every last drop out of Harry’s spasming cock. Collapsing back against the pillows, Harry attempted to catch his breath, although the sensations running through him at that moment made it difficult. Sev surprised him by continuing to lick and suck gently for a few seconds as Harry softened, letting out small, satisfied noises as he did. Feeling as though his bones were melting with each sound, Harry forced his fingers to unclench from the sheet beneath him and reached under the covers to run them along the sweat-dampened hair of his mate.

“Sev?”

Emerging from under the sheet with a wide, self-satisfied smile, Sev took the rest of Harry’s breath away, despite being slightly blurry without his glasses. “Happy birthday, Harry.”

Unbridled joy rushed through Harry, causing him to let out a delirious laugh. Needing to feel his mate as close to him as possible, Harry tugged him up so that he was hovering above him, one eyebrow raised in what was obviously amusement. He brought his legs up so he could hook his ankles together behind Sev’s back, holding him securely in position. The hand he had tangled through the lengths of hair at the back of Sev’s head tightened, bringing him within kissing distance. Harry resisted the temptation for the time being as he stared up at his mate in wonder, taking in every inch of him. Considering the way they had started the previous day, Harry had had himself convinced that they would never be able to have anything even vaguely resembling what they used to have ever again. Running the backs of the fingers of his free hand across Sev’s cheek, Harry enjoyed the little shiver he felt run through his mate at the touch.

“I love you.”

He drew Sev into a kiss before he could respond, moaning as he tasted the remains of himself on his mate’s tongue. Knowing that he had the freedom to be able to touch his mate in any way he wanted to again, Harry rocked his hips, groaning into the kiss as he felt Sev’s hard cock sliding against his entrance.

“Harry...”

Sev’s words were cut off as Harry flipped them over. “I _love_ you.”

He trailed wet kisses along the strong jaw line in front of him, drawing little gasps of breath out of his mate. Lowering himself so they both got the friction they were craving, Harry grinned at the moan Sev let out.

“Harry, I –”

“ _I love you, Sev._ ” Harry began to laugh again as he was flipped back over onto his back, his mate’s hands on his shoulders, holding him in place.

“And I love you, you infuriating brat. What is your point?”

“That _is_ the point Sev; don’t you see?” Harry dislodged one of Sev’s hands from his shoulder, lacing their fingers together as he brought their combined hands to rest on the swell of his belly. He moved his other hand so he could brush his thumb across Sev’s prominent cheekbone. “My family.”

“Harry,” Sev whispered, his eyes closing as he lowered his head to rest their foreheads together. “I _do_ love you and I am so incredibly sorry for the way I have treated you these past few days. I know that if it was not for you and this bond, I would not be alive at the moment and to repay that the way I have recently...”

Harry gasped as silvery eyes stared down at him in entreaty. Sev’s massive blue-black wings came to settle around them and his lengthened hair slid down to block out the rest of the room, enclosing them in darkness. Harry brushed his fingers across Sev’s lips before leaning up to kiss him lightly.

“We’ve both done stupid things this past week. Can we... can we maybe leave the discussions until tomorrow? Just be here with me today and we can go back to arguing about who was in the wrong tomorrow.” The intoxicating scent of warm herbs drifting from his mate’s hair was causing Harry’s head to spin and his cock to take interest again.

“With you is exactly where I intend to stay, love.”

Harry groaned as he gave himself in to the sensual mood Sev had set. He knew that they would have to talk about what had happened, but there would apparently be lots of time for that later on. Because it was his birthday, he was going to absolutely refuse to focus on anything other than the pleasure he got from being with his mate. The question of whether he would have to bother getting dressed until it came time for the party drifted slowly through his mind; it was the last coherent thought Harry had for the next few hours.

*~*

Lincoln glanced up from the book he was reading as his wards shimmered, indicating that someone had just Apparated into his flat. As per usual when he was alone, he had a cd blasting with a Muffling charm up to prevent complaints to the police from his neighbours. A quick look to the clock told him that whoever it was could not be Draco, as he was currently in Hogsmeade at Harry Potter’s 18th. Waiting a few seconds more for the mystery person to appear, Lincoln sighed as he shoved himself up off the lounge and turned to see Gwen standing in the hall with her arms crossed, a glower on her face. She waved her hand at his cd player, turning AC/DC down to a level where she could make herself heard.

“You are a horrible excuse for a big brother.”

Lincoln merely rolled his eyes and fell back down onto the lounge. Watching in amusement as she rounded the end of the lounge to continue to glare at him, he smirked, knowing it would annoy her. He was used to seeing these fits of temper and knew that they were usually short-lived. “What imaginary thing have I done this time?”

“It’s not what you’ve done, you dolt, it’s what you _haven’t_ that’s annoying me!” Her hands waved through the air as she began to pace in front of the fire. “Ellie can get away with not staying in touch with me because she has two kids to worry about. _You_ on the other hand don’t have obligations like that, so there’s really no excuse for me not hearing from you in a whole week. And you don’t get to say that Draco kept you distracted, because I know for a fact that you don’t see him every day: I’ve had to put up with you bitching that you don’t get to see him often enough.”

“Are you done?” He had waited until she paused to take a breath before he spoke; it was a technique he had had to develop after years of putting up with her outbursts. “Draco does actually have something to do with the reason why I haven’t been in touch... Well, no that’s a lie; he has _everything_ to do with why I haven’t been in touch.” Smiling as the expression on Gwen’s face changed – apparently unwillingly – to one of curiosity, he relaxed back into the cushions on the lounge, waiting for her to react.

“Draco? You’re still smiling, so he can’t have done anything bad...” She let out a grunt of frustration as she turned to stalk over to one of the chairs by the fire. Her annoyance at him keeping what she obviously thought was a secret from her showed clearly on her face as she scowled at him. “Fine. I give; you win. What’s going on?”

Knowing that what he was about to admit to was essentially a criminal act in the Wood Elf culture, Lincoln waved a hand at the cd player, turning it down even further, and set the book aside on the coffee table. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. He knew that his family would have his back no matter what, but having to admit to something like he was about to was still nerve-wracking. Apparently sensing his more serious mood, Gwen leant forward, her expression turning to one of concern.

“Something happened last weekend that... well, it changed a couple of things.” _Me, mostly._ “Draco came back with the news that Harry Potter is ‘some kind of Elf’. At the time I didn’t know what kind of Elf he is, but it freaked me out sufficiently enough that I spent the rest of the night out here, wrestling with _my_ Elven side. When he found me I’d only had about two hours of sleep and you know how exhausting it is having to fight it back so you don’t give yourself away, right?” He was stalling and he knew it, but a sudden rush of nerves had settled firmly in his stomach as Gwen watched him unblinkingly.

“He knows, doesn’t he?” Lincoln winced a little and nodded, waiting for the outburst he was sure was coming. “And he hasn’t left?”

The combination of curiosity and admiration in her voice surprised him enough to knock him off-balance a little. Letting all of his reservations about telling her go, he gave her a confused look before answering. “No, he hasn’t; in fact, he never seriously considered it, from what I can tell.”

She was silent for a long time, seeming to consider his words very carefully. “There’s more to this than you’re telling me. Some of what the papers have written over the years about the Malfoys has to be true and my guess would be the whole ‘pure-blood supremacy’ thing was real. If Draco followed along in his father’s footsteps – and we know he did in quite a few aspects of his life – then he should have had an incredibly bad reaction to finding out his boyfriend isn’t fully human.”

_Right, because it couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that he loves me, could it?_ “Yes and no; there is more to this, but it didn’t have any kind of influence on his decision to stay.” He grinned when she rolled her eyes and motioned for him to get on with it. “You were right: he has Veela blood. It isn’t enough for him to have had an Inheritance, but –”

“But it’s enough!” Lincoln had no time to react before Gwen bolted up out of her chair, ran the short distance between them and leant over him, her hands pinning his shoulders back against the lounge. The wide, almost manic grin on her face had him grinning back, re-igniting the delirious joy he had been riding high on for the past few days. “You can have a mate; a real, _proper_ mate!”

Thankful that she understood just how much this meant to him, Lincoln felt the rest of the worry and tension leaving him rapidly. He had not realised how apprehensive he had been about admitting that he had essentially broke the law by allowing Draco to know about him, even if it had been an accident. Sniffling a little, Gwen moved to kneel on the lounge beside him and drew him into a hug that he was certain was mostly about covering up the fact that she had gotten teary-eyed over the realisation that he would be able to bond with Draco. She pulled back with a gasp as the floo flared.

*~*

Standing with his back against a wall, Draco surveyed the crowd in the Three Broomsticks. There was not a single person at this party that he felt inclined to talk with, except maybe Severus. Unfortunately, there was no way he was going to be able to get Severus alone to speak with him, so it appeared that until Harry noticed that he was there and decided to tell him this amazing plan for him to fulfil his debt, he would just stand there against the wall, hoping to blend in with the scenery.

Taking in the decorations as he scanned the crowd, Draco was surprised to discover that the room was not decorated in red and gold. Whoever had chosen the theme for the night – it was obvious that it was not just a random jumble of colours – had good taste at least. There was a minimum of streamers and ostentatious decorations; the only obviously gaudy thing he could see at that moment was the cake: multi-layered chocolate covered in white icing with golden snitches decorating the sides.

Skulking in one of the darker corners of the room, he was forcibly reminded of a different party at the Manor two months previously – the night he had met Link – and his similar reluctance to participate in the festivities. Thinking that it was a real shame that there was no quiet-voiced rebel to brighten up his night this time, Draco adjusted his position, stretching his legs to keep the blood flowing. Glancing around, he looked for a chair to drag back to his little corner of the party; if he had to stay until Harry knew he was there, then he should be comfortable, at least.

“Malfoy.”

Draco just barely prevented himself from jumping at the sharp sound of a female voice behind him. He turned to see the Weasley girl – _shit, what’s her name?_ – striding towards him, a determined look on her face. His mental guards came up automatically and he could feel his old public mask falling into place as if he had never dropped it. “Weasley.”

“Sneer at me all you want; you’ve never scared me and never will.”

_Shame_. “Come to check up on the former Death Eater? Make sure he’s not going to strike the birthday boy down before he opens his presents?” He had no idea why he was antagonising her, but it came so naturally to him with this lot that he did not know if he was ever going to be able to stop.

“Please,” she scoffed in return, looking him over with disbelieving eyes. “You’re no match for Harry.”

He sighed in frustration; he had not given up part of his night with Link only to stand against a wall in the Broomsticks and be insulted by the Weaselette. “Is there something you actually wanted, or are you just here to annoy me?”

“Oh, the annoyance is really just a bonus: Harry sent me over here to collect you.” A slight tone of irritation entered her voice at being used as a messenger, but it left just as quickly as Draco had heard it. “He’s over there by the bar. He said you might want to wait until he’s alone, so he’ll be getting rid of his friends in a little while.”

He fought extremely hard to prevent the threatening smirk from showing on his face. There was really nothing she could say to him that would make him feel guilty for showing up to a party he had been invited to by the guest of honour and it amused him that she had tried. She turned and left after gracing him with a disdainful look. It appeared to Draco as though there was someone waiting for her at the edge of the dance floor. He was not able to tell who it was until they were bathed in light from one of the lights flashing over the crowd: Viktor Krum. He knew he should not really be surprised, as he knew that the Weasleys had had contact with Krum through Harry during their fourth year, but it still stunned him to see a famous Quidditch player casually escorting the youngest Weasley onto the dance floor at the Three Broomsticks. Shaking his head as he glanced over to where Harry now sat alone, he made his way over, bracing himself for the same kind of welcome he had received from the Weaselette.

“Draco,” Harry nodded at him as he indicated Draco should take a seat at the bar with him.

“Harry.” It was strange, but ever since he had seen Harry looking so absolutely broken the night he had discovered his true lineage, Draco had taken to thinking of him by his first name. That realisation made him slightly uncomfortable and he pulled out the bottle he had brought as a present to cover it up. “Happy birthday; don’t worry, it’s non-alcoholic.”

“Wow, thanks; you didn’t have to.”

“Of course I did: it’s a birthday party and you’re the guest of honour.” He had been raised right, even if Potter had not. He barely bit back a grin as he realised Harry was only ‘Harry’ if he was not being annoying or uncouth. “You’re looking happier than the last time I saw you.”

The ridiculously loopy smile that spread across Harry’s face made Draco even more uncomfortable when he realised it was being directed at Severus. “I am. _We_ are. Look,” his expression turned serious and Draco felt a wash of nerves, wondering if he was about to discover what Harry wanted. “I need to thank you; not just for the other night, but also for catching me when I fell off that ladder. That’s part of the reason I chose this way for you to fulfil the debt. I want you to consider sharing the Defence job with me, as well as some of Sev’s Head of House duties.”

Draco’s mind went blank as he processed what he had just heard. He was aware of Harry staring at him and the vibrations of the music through his body, but besides that, everything else was almost numb. There were not many job opportunities for an ex-Death Eater, especially one whose family were as involved as the Malfoys had been, but here Harry was offering him a job? He tried to not allow the suspicion show through in his voice as he responded.

“You want me to share your job?” _The defence job at that? Who says I’d even be any good at something like that?_

“Well, it’d depend on whether McGonagall signs off on it, but yeah, I do. Look, I can’t complete a full year of teaching in such a dangerous subject while I’m pregnant and this way you’ll not have to look for a job. If McGonagall says it’s alright, then this’ll work out really well for the both of us. And besides that, I’m sick of having debts hanging over me, aren’t you?”

Draco studied him for a few seconds before deciding that he was telling him the truth: all he really wanted was for the debt to be over and done with. He nodded with more assurance than he had expected to feel after knowing what it was Harry wanted from him, a slightly hopeful feeling beginning to sprout in his stomach. “You’re right: it’ll be nice to have this completed. I would assume you’d have to convince McGonagall?”

“I haven’t spoken to her about it yet, so maybe it’s best to keep it quiet until we know for sure? I’ll owl you in the next few days to let you know what she said.”

Draco recognised a dismissal when he heard it and nodded in agreement before slipping off the stool to make his way out into Hogsmeade. So he had time to work out the rest of the tension that had been stored up inside him the entire night, he decided that he would walk back up to the school instead of Apparating to the gates like everyone else. McGonagall had offered him the use of her floo so he could go wherever he wanted and he knew exactly where he wanted to be right at that particular moment. By the time he had reached the Head’s office, he had worked out the kinks in his shoulders and the cooler air had cleared his head quite well. He threw a handful of powder into her floo and stepped in, giving Link’s address. He was met on the other side by a high-pitched squeal and a flurry of arms and legs as he was drawn into an embrace. Just barely keeping himself and his attacker from falling back into the fire, Draco glanced down to see waves of auburn hair.

“Gwen?” He looked up again at the sound of Link’s quiet laugh. “What’s going on?”

“He’s right, you know,” Gwen’s voice was slightly muffled, due to her face being pressed into Draco’s collarbone. Her eyes were shining with what looked suspiciously like tears when she pulled back to hold him at arm’s length. “You two are perfect for each other.” With that, she released him and turned, disappearing with a soft pop.

Without Gwen’s weight attached to his chest to balance him out, Draco immediately staggered backwards with a slight gasp. He threw his hand back behind him to grab hold of the mantelpiece, but discovered that it was completely unnecessary: Link had shot to his feet, wrapping his arms around Draco’s waist to prevent him from falling. Smiling as he wrapped his own arms around Link’s shoulders, Draco took a deep breath as he leant in to press their lips together. Link’s earthy scent washed over him, causing his head to swim.

“Missed you,” Link whispered with a small smile as he tightened his arms, pulling Draco closer. “How’d it go?”

The abrupt change of subject startled – and slightly disappointed – Draco, but he was able to clear his mind of the images that being pressed up against his lover conjured. “Surprisingly well; he offered me a job.”

Draco could see his words sinking in as Link’s eyes widened and a small frown creased his brow. “He... What?”

“He wants me to share the Defence job at Hogwarts, as well as some of the Slytherin Head of House duties with Severus.” He could not help grinning at the stunned look Link gave him. “He can’t complete a full year of teaching while he’s pregnant and I assume he would want Severus with him, at least during the later stages of the pregnancy, so they’ll need someone to fill in when they’re busy with baby stuff.”

Silence spread between them in the wake of this statement, leaving Draco with the time to run his eyes over Link’s face. It seemed as though Link had had an enormous weight lifted from his shoulders after his ‘big secret’ had been exposed the previous weekend. He had been in a buoyant mood ever since he had realised Draco was not going to leave him, despite his slight anxiety over admitting to his family that he had inadvertently let Draco discover his true heritage. Although – if the hug and tears were anything to go by – Gwen appeared to be ecstatically happy for them at least, so maybe the rest of Link’s family would have the same reaction. He was jerked out of his thoughts as Link grinned at him, obviously having come to some kind of conclusion.

“‘Professor Malfoy’ has a nice ring to it, you know.” There was a strangely calculating look in his eyes as he moved them back away from the fire, causing Draco to narrow his eyes in suspicion, waiting for him to finish the thought that was obviously there. “I’ve never slept with a professor before.”

“You still haven’t,” Draco could not help laughing as Link manoeuvred them back towards the bedroom. “McGonagall still has to approve it.”

“Mmm,” Link hummed, his hands trailing all over Draco’s back, arse and thighs. “No harm in practicing for when the day finally comes.”

Draco discovered a few seconds later that he completely agreed.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, writing this chapter has reminded me why I skipped over it in BILYYI. But it's done, so here's to hoping you all like it :)

Harry awoke late the next morning on the hearthrug to discover that Sev had already risen. He stretched and smiled, enjoying the lingering ache from the night before. The events of the past two days had been enough to counteract the hormones raging inside him, tempering his foul mood. He knew that he and Sev had things to discuss that morning that would most likely bring that irritability back full-force, so instead of joining Sev in the bathroom like he wanted to, he forced himself to stay put and think things over properly.

_Technically, that fight was entirely my fault. If I had just said something about the bond not being sealed when I first realised it, then we could have avoided this whole thing for the past week. We probably would have discovered the Wood Elf thing much earlier as well. Or would he have just not bothered?_ He shook his head, choosing to believe for the time being that Sev would have wanted Harry’s side of the bond sealed just as much then as he apparently did now. _However, I_ did _try to explain once Hermione worked it out and all he did was get pissed and then leave me for five days. Good to know he has such a great coping system in place._ He could not prevent the snort that escaped him at that last thought.

“May I enquire what it is you find so amusing?”

Harry sat up and turned to see his mate walking slowly out of the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and a second one scrubbing through his wet hair. A rush of desire and pride washed through him, causing a wide smile to break on his face. While he did fear that Sev had not yet begun to trust him like he had just a week before, Harry took pleasure in the fact that this was the first time Sev had relaxed around him enough to feel comfortable wandering around basically naked in front of the fire where Harry had a full view of everything. _And what a view it is!_ The smile turned to a grin as Sev sat down on the lounge, his face obscured by the towel rubbing through his long hair. Moving quickly before his mate could object, Harry positioned himself behind Sev on the lounge and grabbed the towel out of his hands.

“Potter?” There was an uncertainty to Sev’s voice that Harry was being prompted to soothe.

“It’s ok, Sev; I know what I’m doing.”

He cast a drying charm on the towel before beginning to rub it through the wet strands of hair in front of him. It took a few minutes, but Harry was able to see the signs of Sev actually relaxing as he drew the towel through his hair: his shoulders relaxed, his breathing evened out and he stretched his long legs out in front of him. This was the first time Harry had had the courage to take over something like this from Sev and the fact that it had worked so incredibly well sent warm tendrils of pleasure floating through his stomach. He grabbed his glasses from beside him on the lounge and crammed them on his face so he could get a better look at what he was doing just before Sev moved in a way that told Harry he was actually enjoying what Harry was doing.

“Harry,” Sev sighed as he leant back. “You must be the only man I have ever met who can derive so much pleasure from simply drying someone else’s hair.”

“Not just someone else’s hair, Sev: _yours_.” Harry leant in to bury his nose into the damp lengths, breathing in the scent of herbs that always drifted up from his mate’s hair.

“Harry...” The resignation that now filled Sev’s deep voice did not dampen the pleasure pooling in Harry’s stomach, but it did bring him back to Earth.

“I know, I know,” he responded reluctantly; he had known that Sev would want to get on with the discussions early in the day. “You need to know why I didn’t tell you about the bond.”

Sev’s hair slipped out of Harry’s fingers as he stood and moved to lean against the wall beside the fireplace, feigning an ease that Harry saw through straightaway. He appeared to be bracing himself for an outburst from Harry of some kind so, just to see what would happen, Harry leant back against the cushions and smirked at him, waiting for Sev to open the conversation. Irritation flashed briefly across Sev’s sharp features, swiftly covered by the blank mask that told Harry Sev was exercising his Occlumency.

“I have been stared down by both Voldemort and Albus Dumbledore, Harry; do not think you can unnerve me by simply looking at me.”

_Neither of them were your mate though, were they?_ The thought drifted through Harry’s mind just before he could react to Sev’s words, causing him to freeze completely. The idea that maybe he would have more sway over Sev than either Voldemort or Dumbledore could have ever hoped to – due to the fact that he was his mate – held Harry in position for a long while until he saw a crack begin to appear in the mask. Sev’s lip twitched as Harry sat, simply watching him. The twitch turned to a sneer after a few seconds, followed by Sev’s arms crossing in front of his chest and a thunderous scowl falling into place on his forehead.

“ _How_ can you be so calm? We have a fight of this magnitude – one that could very well have broken the bond between us – and all you wanted to do yesterday was –”

“Be with my mate,” Harry interrupted before Sev could really get going. “Reassure myself that it hadn’t been broken and that you actually wanted me, despite the fact that it was entirely my own stupid fault. No, I couldn’t imagine why I could _possibly_ want to do that.”

“Sarcasm and insolence will not help to advance your arguments, Potter.”

Exasperation rippled across Harry’s skin as Sev once again seemed to close himself off from him, turning and walking away towards the bedroom. He shoved himself up off the lounge and followed, determined that they were going to have this out properly now that Sev had pushed him far enough. He entered the room to discover the irritating man looking through the wardrobe as if he had not just snapped at Harry and walked out. Placing his hand carefully on the wardrobe door, Harry leant against it until it closed, forcing Sev to face him.

“You left. You want to talk to me about _my_ reaction the day after you finally decided that I was worthy enough to be graced by your presence when _you’d_ spent the five days before that completely ignoring me? Oh, no, excuse me, I got that wrong: you ignored me unless you spotted me in the morning and decided to rip me apart one tiny piece at a time, making me feel like I was worth less to you than the lowliest bit of scum in the bloody lake out there.” He fought the urge to walk away just as Sev had done not a minute before, instead crossing his arms across his chest and glaring for all he was worth.

“ _I_ – you...” Sev threw his hands up and stalked off across the room.

Harry grinned despite the seriousness of what they were trying to discuss. Knowing that he was probably the only living person able to force Severus Snape into showing this much emotion gave him a sick sense of accomplishment, despite the fact that it was negative emotion he was causing Sev to show. He followed along behind his mate, making sure to keep a safe distance between them, just in case. Sev did not turn to face him, despite the fact that it was obvious he knew Harry was standing just behind him.

“Look, I know that what I did was the stupidest thing that I could have possibly done, especially considering that it was inevitable that you would find out. But I have apologised for it over and over again.”

“It is not apologies I am after, Potter. I want an explanation. _Why_ did you lie to me? Why bother pretending in the first place? You had nothing to gain by it.” The look of doubt that flashed across Sev’s face as he turned to look him in the eyes had Harry desperate to make him understand just how much he was needed.

“I had nothing to gain? I’d known for three years that I was in love with a man who hated me, one who would probably have been glad to see me going through the pain of knowing that my mate didn’t want me. What I gained over these past three months was _you_. What we developed in those three months is what has been keeping me going. Through the Trials, through the memorials, through the press trying to get at me, you have been there offering me a strength I don’t have on my own.

“I honestly thought I was going off to my death in that forest; that I was about to lose you the second I had you. I didn’t know that what I was feeling was a bond, or that you had just claimed me. So when I was sitting in that hospital ward waiting for you to wake up, I made a decision. I knew that there was something weird going on with all the talk of Veela and bonds and the look on Fleur’s face, but none of that really mattered. What mattered right in that moment was that I had you and I was never going to let go. You are mine just as much as I am yours. You can’t tell me that you would have reacted like this if I had admitted it in the beginning: you probably wouldn’t have wanted a proper relationship with someone you saw as being forced into it by shitty circumstances.” Harry’s hands waved through the air in an attempt to get his point across, just as his voice was rising in volume. “You’ve said that you love me; we wouldn’t have that now if I had told you it wasn’t sealed in the first place. What this actually comes down to is the fact that you don’t trust me.”

“How the _hell_ can I trust someone who is going to lie to me every single chance they get?” Sev’s voice was rising to match Harry’s volume, although his body language was much more closed off: arms held stiffly by his sides, his hands clenched into fists and his spine rigid. “I trusted you and you broke that trust by lying about the one thing that was holding us together.”

Harry staggered back a few steps when he felt the thing in the back of his mind begin to panic. Subconsciously he knew that they were fine; that Sev was not leaving him and that he did actually love him. Hell, he had felt it the night before; whether it was because Sev had accidentally projected what he was feeling down the bond or not, Harry had no idea, but he had felt the strength of Sev’s feelings for him. That knowledge, however, did not prevent his chest from constricting and his head from swimming as he was pressured to make things ok again with his mate. This was the first time he had been under such strain from what he now knew to be his Wood Elf side and it took all of his focussed willpower to prevent himself from physically reacting to the pressure it was placing on him.

“Harry?” The sound of the concern in his mate’s voice went a little way to helping calm it down.

Harry knew he had to learn to control this thing by himself, so he held a hand up to prevent Sev from touching him and moved slowly out to the living room to lean on the back of the lounge. Closing his eyes to allow himself to concentrate completely, Harry began trying to force the thing to the back of his mind once again. It took a surprisingly short amount of time, but he attributed that to the fact that he could sense Sev close by him. Of course, he knew that it would have been much more difficult if Sev had not been there, a steady pillar of reassurance. He hoped desperately that he would never have to find out what it was like trying to suppress it without his mate standing close by as he turned to see a look of sympathetic understanding flash briefly across Sev’s face.

“There is something in the back of your mind panicking, yes? Something that – until now – has only ever prompted you in certain situations.”

A tingle of suspicion joined the remnants of the panic as Sev stood in the doorway, watching him. “Please tell me you didn’t do that on purpose.”

The small huff of breath Sev gave in response did not reassure Harry in any way. “No, love, it was not on purpose. I have been wondering, however, how many of your responses to me have been your true responses and how many have been because you have been prompted into action.”

Harry eyed Sev speculatively, wondering why he was so willing to change the subject. “Up until just then, it’s all been me; it might have pushed me into taking an action that I was already leaning towards, but it’s never really forced me into anything I didn’t already want to do.”

Sev’s movements were as graceful as ever when he pushed off from the doorjamb and closed the distance between them, sending shivers of delight through Harry’s stomach. Harry automatically reached to wrap his arms around Sev’s neck when he was close enough, pressing as close as he could get. A small hum of pleasure from above him caused Harry to smile wide just before their lips met. Harry allowed Sev to control their pace, only opening to him when he requested it by running his tongue along Harry’s bottom lip. The soft material of the towel still wrapped tightly around Sev’s waist brushed against the sensitive skin at the base of Harry’s stomach, sending pleasure shooting through him. Harry knew that there were still things they had to sort out, but he could not bring himself to care when Sev’s talented tongue brushed along the roof of his mouth. He whined a little when Sev backed off and did not allow him to step away, preferring to stay pressed up against his mate.

“Harry,” Sev paused and cleared his throat when his voice came out croaky, causing Harry to grin. “It still amazes me that someone such as yourself would be interested in the likes of me. I have spent the past 21 years wishing for someone to be able to accept me completely. The fact that that person turned out to be you, with all of your vibrancy and hope for the future...” He shook his head, a small smile touching his lips. “You and everything you are willing to give me are so completely miraculous that it is almost beyond belief. Your presence has brightened up my life to an extent that I had never dreamed possible. I am sorry that I have ever given you any reason to doubt that I would stay with you; you should never have had to have felt the need to lie to me in order to keep me around. However, as much as I hate to admit it, it shall take some time for me to be able to trust you completely again.”

Resisting the urge to object to the words themselves, Harry instead chose to focus on the promise in the tone. “A chance to earn back that trust is all I’m really asking for, Sev.”

Harry sent a silent thanks up to whoever was listening that he already had his arms wrapped tightly around his mate’s neck, as the smirk that Sev shot him in response felt as though it had turned his legs to jelly. “Oh, I believe that I can offer much more than just that chance, Mister Potter.”

Pleasurable shivers raced each other along Harry’s spine at the sound of his name being drawn out slowly in his mate’s deep bass rumble. All of Harry’s submissiveness from earlier had evaporated in the light of knowing that his stupidity had been forgiven – if not forgotten just yet – and he pressed himself up against his mate, needing to be as close to him as possible. Tugging on Sev’s hair got him into just the right position for Harry to be able to comfortably kiss him without moving back at all. Sev’s hands were everywhere, working Harry into a frenzy: rubbing gently along his biceps, feathering touches down his back and mussing his hair further. It was when they stilled on his backside that Harry decided what it was he wanted. Breaking the kiss caused Sev to let out a small huff of protest, but it was quickly silenced as Harry took him by the wrist and led him back into the bedroom.

“Lose the towel and lie down.” He was unsure if Sev’s Veela would allow Harry to take control of their activities like this, but he also knew he had try; after all, Sev had been able to subdue it once before.

The brush of one of Sev’s long-fingered hands on the small of his back sent shivers through Harry once again as he watched his mate settle himself down on the bed. His heart racing at the thought that maybe he was going to be able to pull this off a second time, Harry moved to kneel at the end of the bed, the bottoms of his feet braced against the footboard. Sev lay sprawled in front of him, his hands laced behind his head and smirk firmly in place. Harry drank in the sight eagerly: his eyes travelled up Sev’s long legs to the thick, hard cock standing proudly from it’s nest of black curls, up Sev’s flat stomach to meet his eyes. One of Sev’s dark eyebrows slowly arched as Harry sat watching him.

“Surely you do not expect me to do all the work, Potter?”

Taking the amused-sounding words as the challenge they obviously were, Harry crawled slowly up the bed until he was hovering over his mate. Resisting the urge to lower himself and create the friction he was craving, Harry leant in to brush his lips across the pulse pounding in the base of Sev’s throat. The feel of the hot little patch of skin fluttering beneath his lips set Harry’s own pulse thrumming wildly as he parted his lips to lick a stripe across it. Closing his eyes in pleasure as the salty taste of Sev’s skin assaulted his senses, Harry allowed himself to become lost in the sensations, barely noticing when Sev’s hands moved from behind his head. He jumped, just barely holding back a squeak as those hands landed on his hips in an attempt to pull him closer.

“Oi,” Harry almost yelped out in protest at being so suddenly jolted out of his little bubble of bliss. He grabbed Sev’s wrists and placed them back above his head with a stern look. “Hands to yourself.”

“You are saying you do not want me to touch you?” It sounded as though Sev had been aiming for insulted, but his voice only came out sounding husky, sending desire shooting straight to Harry’s cock.

“Not yet, no,” Harry grinned at the glare Sev shot him.

Releasing the grip he had on Sev’s wrists, Harry trailed hot, wet kisses down his mate’s chest, thinking that if he removed himself from easy grasping distance, Sev would keep his hands there. Reaching his goal swiftly, Harry took a few seconds to grin up at his mate before he swallowed his leaking cock down as far as he could. He was rewarded with an incoherent groan and a bucking of Sev’s hips that almost made him choke. Using his hands to steady his mate’s hips, Harry began to lick and suck in earnest, enjoying every single little noise he was dragging out of Sev’s throat. It did not take long before Sev’s hands found their way to Harry’s hair, tangling there and tugging painfully. Harry raised his head unwillingly and moved to hover above Sev again as he disentangled his fingers. Taking both of Sev’s wrists into his hands again, Harry trapped them on the bed above their heads.

“I _said_ no touching,” he grinned as he clearly saw Sev fighting against his Veela.

Waiting the few seconds it took for the Veela to win the fight, Harry let out an appreciative breath as he saw Sev’s eyes shifting to that shining silver that gave Harry thrills every single time. He leant in to claim Sev’s lips in a harsh kiss, putting everything he felt behind it. The bed shifted a little and he felt warmth spread through him as Sev’s legs wrapped around his waist. He knew how difficult it was for Sev to go against his nature and allow Harry to claim him and he was going to make the most of it.

“Harry...” Sev’s voice was harsh with need as he tightened the grip his thighs had on Harry’s hips. “I swear if you continue to deny me, I shall be forced into taking action myself.”

“Coming from the one who always complains about my impatience,” Harry laughed, but released Sev’s wrists.

He lowered himself properly then, giving Sev the friction he had been trying to force. A small moan escaped Harry’s lips as he settled himself on top of his mate; the deliciously hot pressure building inside him much faster now. Moving so he could continue his attentions to Sev’s throat, Harry grinned as one of Sev’s hands tangled through his hair, holding him in place as he nipped and sucked. Using one arm to keep his balance, Harry sent the other questing down his mate’s body, searching out his entrance. Since this was only the second time he had attempted this, a strange mix of excitement, nerves and lust built up in Harry’s stomach as he pressed his finger forward, causing his head to spin slightly.

“More.”

“Sev?”

Harry raised his head from his mate’s throat to look in his eyes. The sight that greeted him had him struggling to hold onto his slipping control: head thrown back on the pillow, Sev’s hair was spread behind him in a halo; his eyes were shut and his teeth worried his bottom lip as his breath came in gasps.

“More, Harry. I can take it.” Fighting the little trickle of doubt, Harry complied, sliding a second finger into his mate. “Yes, yes... Hook them now.”

Harry obeyed blindly, surprise shooting through him as Sev groaned and bucked beneath him. Realising that Sev was showing him exactly how to please him, Harry lowered his mouth back to the pulse point, listening to the sounds Sev was making as he worked his fingers inside him. Scissoring them gained Harry another loud groan and Sev’s hand clenching on his hip.

“Now.”

The third finger Harry slid inside caused Sev to still beneath him, making Harry worry that he had hurt his mate inadvertently. “Sev?”

Placing both his hands on Harry’s shoulders, Sev pushed him back a little so he could raise himself up on his elbows on the bed. This caused Harry’s fingers to slide further into him, but Sev did not seem to mind. A small frown creased his brow before his massive blue-black wings spread out behind him. Relief flooded through Harry as he watched Sev ruffle his feathers then settle back down again with a pleased sigh.

“Beautiful,” Harry breathed as he moved back up to settle himself again.

The fingers moving inside his mate stretched him quickly as Harry slid his tongue into Sev’s mouth. The pressure building up in his stomach would not be denied for much longer and Harry knew he had to move faster if he was to last. Unable to speak with Harry’s tongue in his mouth, Sev began to move beneath him, wriggling his hips in a way that Harry took to mean he wanted more. Removing his fingers, Harry positioned himself at his mate’s entrance and began to slowly push inside. He broke the kiss as he felt the tight, hot heat of his mate stretching around him, needing to concentrate so he could hold on.

“Gods, Sev,” Harry moaned as he seated himself fully, his head swimming with the desire pumping through him. “I...”

He shook his head, unable to express everything that was flowing through him. Still riding high on the knowledge that he was once again free to explore his mate’s body, he raised himself up onto his elbows to stare down at the brilliant man beneath him. Harry saw his own level of desire reflected back at him in Sev’s eyes as his hips were grabbed in a bruising grip.

“Move.”

Needing no further encouragement, Harry drew out and snapped his hips back in, eliciting a moan from his mate. He was drawn into a heated kiss as he fell into his rhythm, managing to hit Sev’s prostate a few times on the way. The small noises and movements Sev was making that indicated he was getting close were not coming fast enough for Harry, whose own orgasm was swiftly threatening to overtake him. Reaching down in between them, he took his mate’s throbbing cock into his hand and brushed his thumb over the head, smearing pre-cum all over before he began to stroke him.

“Harry... Harry...”

It seemed as though Harry’s name was the only thing Sev could manage to gasp out just before he threw his head back and let out an incoherent groan as he began to come. His hand being coated in thick ropes of cum combined with the spasming of the hot sheath surrounding him was enough to push Harry over the edge as well. His jerking hips stilled as pleasure shot through him, spilling his seed deep inside his mate. Harry held as still as possible, his eyes squeezed shut as he hovered over his mate, waiting for his body to stop trembling. Sev, it seemed, was not as patient. Rolling them over and allowing Harry to slip out of him, he cast a cleansing charm over the both of them before gathering Harry into his arms. His enormous wings settled around them, cocooning them in darkness.

“Love you, Sev,” Harry mumbled as soon as he got enough of his breath back. The brush of his mate’s fingers across his cheekbone had Harry smiling as he felt Sev lean in close enough for his lips to brush against Harry’s as he responded.

“I love you, too, Harry.”


	20. Chapter 20

A thrilling tingle ran through Draco’s limbs as he Apparated into the small hallway of Link’s flat, anticipation at seeing his lover again running through his veins. He had taken to going straight to Link’s on Friday nights, rather than stopping by the Manor first, as his distraction and impatience to leave were causing his parents to give him what he had come to think of as The Look. It was somewhat of a recent development that told Draco that it was entirely possible that they were trying to discover exactly who it was he was dating but were too polite to ask outright at this stage. This really did not bother him, as he had developed a plan for how to deal with his – most likely technical at this point – ‘coming out’ to his parents: he was going to sit them down and just... do it. Of course, he had to discuss it with Link first, as he was also considering telling them that he planned to bond with Link as soon as he was able to. Before that, he figured he had to get through the training McGonagall was putting him through: he was one week in and he had actually managed to surprise himself with his knowledge of defensive spells. Glancing around the hall when he had not been accosted by his lover after standing there for a few seconds, Draco rolled his eyes, wondering if the odd hours he worked at the hospital had finally caught up with Link and he had simply fallen asleep at his desk – again.

“Link?”

“Living room.”

Draco followed the sound of Link’s voice into said room, rounded the end of the lounge and snorted with laughter at the sight that greeted him. Link was lying sprawled along the lounge, his left arm behind his head, the TV remote in his right hand; he had changed the black trousers he wore to work for jeans, but had not bothered to change the light blue shirt, which was unbuttoned to his sternum; dark circles beneath his eyes told Draco that he was not going to allow Link out of the flat that night. He looked so comfortable that Draco almost did not want to disturb him, but the flash of desire through those violet eyes had him moving to lie on top of him, supporting his weight on his elbows. Leaning in to brush their lips together in a chaste kiss, Draco smiled when Link objected to him pulling away.

“I couldn’t stop thinking of you today.”

“Kiss me properly then,” Link grinned, dropping the remote so he could wrap both arms around Draco’s waist.

Unable to resist such a demand when it was said in that tone of voice, Draco closed the gap between them once again, giving Link exactly what he had asked for. Opening his mouth so Link’s tongue could slide inside, Draco let out a breath that sounded like a sigh even to his ears. Link apparently took it as a good sign, as he tightened his arms around Draco’s waist, pulling him flush against his chest. Heart rate rapidly climbing as Link’s hands began to move on his back and down to grasp his arse, Draco knew he had to break the kiss, as there were things they needed to discuss. He smiled at the grunt of frustration Link gave when he pulled back.

“Hush, you; I need a clear head for this.”

“Oh, I could clear your mind quite effectively if you’d let me.”

“ _Not_ what I meant and you know it. Now be quiet or I’ll have to gag you.”

The little movement Link gave in response to this _could_ have been taken as him moving into a more comfortable position. That is, if he had not smirked when Draco wound up straddling one of his thighs, able to feel the evidence of Link’s desire for him pressed into his hip. Draco wriggled, his own blood rushing south swiftly, but he ignored it, knowing he had to get this out.

“I’ve been thinking about this whole situation with Severus and Harry and their bond. Now, I know I asked whether you thought you could speak to Harry about it, but I know how difficult the secrecy charms make that, so would it be easier if we waited until after we’ve bonded?” The wide smile that spread across Link’s face at those words had Draco stuttering to a stop, his breath hitching a little as his stomach flipped. “I mean, we _can_ tell them after we’ve bonded right?”

Surprise rippled through Draco’s chest as he was drawn into a heated kiss. He wriggled a little again, enjoying the friction against his hardening cock. Link released him after a few seconds, causing Draco to let out a sound of protest.

“I love you.”

Draco grinned as desire flooded through him. “I’ll take that as a yes then, Elfling?”

“You do realise that an Elfling – if such a thing existed – would be a child, right?” There was a deep amusement in Link’s voice as he smiled up at Draco.

“Not necessarily; it could also mean ‘little’.” He laughed at the look of insulted indignation that crossed Link’s face at those words.

“‘Little’? What the hell do you mean ‘little’?” Link pinched Draco’s arse; something that Draco was sure was supposed to show Link’s irritation, but which only served to turn Draco on even further.

“You’re the same height as me and I’m considered to be shorter than average, which would mean that so are you.”

Link sat up and pushed Draco back against the end of the lounge, away from him. Humour flashed across his features before he schooled them back into a scowl. “I’ll have you know that the average Elf is two or three inches shorter than me so, while _you_ can be considered short, _I’m_ actually tall.”

Draco was unable to prevent the bright smile that fell onto his face at Link’s indignation, however contrived it may have been. “You really are cute, you know. No matter how hard you fight against it.”

Violet eyes widened in shock as Link let out a disbelieving laugh. “You know what? You’re cut off.”

“Excuse me?” Draco stared at his lover in surprise, watching as Link crossed his arms across his chest and grinned at him.

“If all you’re going to do is insult me, I’m cutting you off. You’ll get none of this –” he waved a hand over himself, still grinning, “until you can be nicer.”

“I’m a Malfoy, Link; we don’t do ‘nice’, or don’t you read the _Prophet_? What we _do_ do, quite well, is persuasion.”

Draco crawled slowly forward, keeping his eyes on his lover’s face, watching for any change in the levels of both humour and desire he could see clearly there. He grinned when Link made no move to stop him from straddling his hips. The strong arms still crossed across Link’s chest would probably prove to be a bit of a problem, but Draco figured he could work around that, if need be.

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” Link’s voice had deepened a little with lust, sending desire shooting through Draco’s chest.

“I know what you want; what you like. I know that if I lean in like this and nibble just _here_ ,” Draco nipped at the junction between Link’s jaw and neck, smiling as he felt a shiver run through him. “You’ll shiver just like that. I know that by running my fingers along _here_ ,” he ran his fingers lightly up Link’s sides, anticipating the sharp intake of breath he received a few seconds later. “You’ll practically melt. And that if I do _this_ ,” he leant in to brush his lips along the shell of Link’s ear, earning himself a soft moan. “You’d agree to almost anything.”

“Dray...” Link’s back arched, he uncrossed his arms to grasp hold of Draco’s hips and stared up at him with lust clearly written in his eyes.

Knowing exactly what it was they both wanted, Draco slid off Link’s lap onto his knees before him, grinning as Link adjusted his position. He fumbled with the buttons of Link’s fly, the urgent jabs of desire shooting through him making his fingers clumsy. Link’s hands landed in Draco’s hair as he finally freed him, slowly massaging his scalp. The touch sent pleasurable shivers down Draco’s spine as he took the time to breathe in the deliciously earthy scent of his lover. Licking a long stripe up the underside of Link’s cock, Draco groaned in pleasure as he tasted the salty-bitter pre-cum coating the head. He had known he would get used to the taste, but it surprised him that he had actually come to enjoy it. Using one hand to steady Link’s hips, Draco wrapped the other around the base of Link’s cock. Sucking Link’s hot, hard length into his mouth, Draco slid down until his lips met his hand, working his tongue along the thick vein on the underside. Getting into a rhythm of licking and sucking as his head moved in Link’s lap, Draco found that he was not going to be able to hold on. Reaching down to unzip his own trousers, he heard Link moan as he took himself in hand, using his own leaking pre-cum as lube. Keeping up the pace as he got closer and closer to his own orgasm was proving to be a little difficult as his head swam with the need to come. Releasing the grip he had on Links cock, he sent his fingers down to brush against Link’s perineum.

“Oh Merlin, Dray, I... I’m...”

Draco hummed and swallowed around him in response. The strangled cry Link gave as he began to come dragged Draco’s own orgasm out of him at the same time. Swallowing rapidly as his own body spasmed in pleasure, Draco was unsure if the deep moan he heard came from him or Link. His head came to a rest on Link’s thigh as he attempted to catch his breath.

“Come here.”

He felt the touch of a cleansing charm and looked up into Link’s hooded eyes. Pupils blown wide and lips parted as he panted, Link held his arms out; an offer Draco was unwilling to turn down. Moving back up onto the lounge, he smiled when Link manoeuvred them so that Draco was lying along the lounge with Link on top of him. Link’s hot breath brushed against Draco’s ear as he buried his face into the crook of Draco’s neck. Wrapping his arms around his lover, Draco waited to hear his breathing even out, indicating that he had succumbed to the sleep he obviously needed, but it never came.

“You are actually nice, you know.” Draco laughed as Link continued their earlier conversation as if it had not been interrupted. “You’re nice to me.”

“I love you.”

“But you didn’t when we first met,” Link pointed out, adjusting his position by wriggling until he was comfortable.

“No, I spent the first six weeks trying to get into your pants.” Draco grinned at the soft laugh this received. “I was absolutely certain you were trying to kill me.”

“With a lack of sex? Bit of a disappointment to survive the War only to expire from frustration.”

“More like an excess of temptation,” Draco mumbled, stroking his hand down Link’s back in a way he had discovered would encourage him to drift off. “Now sleep: you’re tired.”

“No ‘m not.”

“You’re also stubborn. Sleep, Elfling: I swear I’ll still be here when you wake.”

“I know,” was the last thing Draco heard from him for a few hours.

~*~

Wandering slowly through the freshly-furnished house he and Sev had purchased two days previously, Harry had to smile. He had never really thought he would be able to have the family that he wanted with the man he wanted and yet here he was, pregnant to his mate, walking down the hallway of their house. It had not been as difficult to give up Grimmauld Place as Harry had feared it would be. It probably helped that they had decided to only rent out both Grimmauld as well as Spinner’s End: Harry was unsure if he could have let Grimmauld go completely; it was the only real thing he had left of Sirius, after all.

His sense of _Severus_ got stronger as he made his way towards their bedroom. He had figured that this would be where he would find his mate, as it appeared to be Sev’s favourite room in the entire house. Bright and spacious, it had been one of the main reasons Harry had fallen in love with the house. That and the small balcony that stood just outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Making his way through the room, Harry paused in the doorway, taking in the sight before him. Sev stood at the black ironwork railing, his forearms resting lightly on the top; his white shirt was unbuttoned at the sleeves and untucked from his black trousers. Sev turned as warm affection flooded through Harry, a small smile on his face. He held an arm out in an offer Harry absolutely refused to reject. Moving to stand in front of him, Harry leant back into his embrace. Sev’s arms wrapped around Harry’s waist, holding him gently in place as he buried his face in Harry’s hair.

“Sev?”

“Yes?” The sound of his mate’s voice sent shivers chasing each other down Harry’s spine.

“You do like it here, right? I mean, it’s nothing like our rooms at the school and I know how comfortable you are there, so...” He allowed his words to trail off into uncertainty, wishing desperately that he had the same kind of empathic connection to his mate as Sev had with him.

“As long as you are with me, Harry, any place we live will be home to me.”

The warmth pooling in his stomach seemed to spread to Harry’s limbs at those words. Knowing that his mate wanted him was still a little surprising, but Harry had begun to get used to it. He was fairly certain that he would never be able to get over the sheer wonder that Sev wanted him enough to stay with him, despite everything that had happened between them, but he was working on not reacting with shock every single time he was presented with proof of his mate’s affections. Resisting the urge to take Sev at his word, Harry had to make absolutely certain that he was happy with their new house.

“Just because it’s a home doesn’t mean that you like it; I’ve had enough proof of that in my life to know it’s true. Are you happy with it?” If being direct was the only way he was going to receive a proper answer, then that is exactly what Harry would do.

Harry felt more than heard the deep rumble of his mate’s laugh behind him. “I have to admit that I find myself surprisingly pleased with it. I was not really expecting to, for – as you have so astutely pointed out – I am used to living in the darkness of both the Hogwarts dungeons and Spinner’s End.” Harry let a shudder run through his body at the idea of Spinner’s End: it was a dark, miserable house and Harry had discovered a deep feeling of sympathy for both Sev and his mother, who had had to put up with living there. “But since you have demonstrated over and over again that you are not repulsed by the sight of me naked by the light of day, I have discovered that I do not mind the brightness of Hogsmeade. Of course, it works both ways: I also get to enjoy the sight of your naked form in the brighter light.”

Harry sucked in an appreciative breath as Sev’s hands moved to cradle the swell of his belly. His recent – slightly more rapid – weight gain had caused a few self-confidence issues for Harry, but Sev had always managed to soothe them rather quickly. Usually by using his talented hands to work Harry up into a frenzy, then shagging him stupid. Not that Harry was complaining about this method, of course, as it was rather effective in proving that he was not hideous to his mate. After enjoying the contact with his mate for a few seconds more, Harry turned to wrap his own arms around Sev’s neck.

“He’ll need a name, you know.” Harry watched in growing delight as Sev’s eyebrows rose slowly towards his hairline.

“‘He’? What makes you think the baby shall be a boy?”

Sev walked them backwards a few steps, coming to a rest on the two-seater chair they had purchased for the balcony. Harry grinned as he settled himself down next to his mate, his legs across Sev’s knees and his head resting on Sev’s shoulder. He had been thinking about it for a while now and had come to the decision that he really would like a boy. A girl would be beautiful and adored just as much, but he really wanted a little boy to play Quidditch with and teach how to ride a bike: all the things that he never had when he was a child.

“Just wishful thinking, I guess,” he shrugged, an action that made Sev puff out a laugh. “I’d like a boy, wouldn’t you?”

“As long as it is healthy, I do not care about the sex.”

“Not at all?” Harry glanced up, watching Sev’s face carefully. A small flicker of something in Sev’s eyes told Harry that he did have an opinion on the subject; he was just not voicing it. _Which probably means he wants a girl, but doesn’t want to contradict me._

“No, not at all.” There was definitely a strange tone to Sev’s voice, prompting Harry into action.

“Sev, it’s ok to tell me what you want, even when it goes against what I want. Hell, especially when it goes against what I want. I fell in love with you because you’re _you_ , not because I thought you wouldn’t want to challenge me.”

Two of Sev’s long fingers reached under Harry’s chin to tilt his face so their lips were aligned. “What if what I want right now, more than anything else, is you?”

“I’ll never object to that, I can promise you.” Harry grinned as their lips met in a soft kiss that promised so much more.

~*~

Draco smiled as he felt Link begin to stir. He had spent the past four and a bit hours flicking through the channels of Link’s TV, pausing to watch anything that caught his eye and was becoming a little bored by the repetitive nature of some of the shows. _Seriously, how many shows do they need about a man and a woman falling in love then breaking up because one of them has cheated?_

“You haven’t spent the past few hours watching soap operas?” Link’s voice was rough with sleep as he stretched then settled back down on Draco’s chest. “It’s summer: there’s gotta be some cricket on at least.”

“There is: England’s losing though, so I turned it off.” He grinned when Link began to laugh, although whether it was from his response or the idea that Draco had been bored enough to watch muggle sport, he had no idea.

“Yeah, because that’s the way to deal when your team’s losing: turn it off and pretend it’s not happening.”

“Works for the Harpies fans.” Draco laughed when Link’s fingers dug softly into his sides, more of a warning than a threat.

“Don’t know why I put up with this sometimes,” Link murmured as he moved to hover above Draco, his eyes alight with his usual good humour.

“I love you,” Draco responded, trailing his fingers down the side of Link’s face.

“Mmm, that could have something to do with it.” The soft brush of Link’s lips against his sent a shiver straight through Draco. “Love you, too.”

The response Draco intended to make was muffled as Link kissed him properly, sliding his tongue in past Draco’s teeth as he opened his mouth to reply. He let out a surprised noise, causing Link to laugh into the kiss, the sound vibrating through Draco’s chest. Link pulled back just as Draco was starting to respond. Draco growled a little in frustration and shot him a glare, which only caused him to laugh harder.

“All this because I insulted your Quidditch team?”

“You _always_ insult my Quidditch team.” Link leant down to nip at the side of Draco’s mouth.

“Probably because they suck... Wait, wait,” Draco exclaimed with a laugh as Link glowered at him. “Can I ask you something before you threaten to beat the crap out of me? Something personal?”

Draco watched in fascination as the humour left Link’s eyes and he stared down at him with a concerned expression. “Of course: I’ll tell you anything, you know that.”

“Ok, um...” He let out a sigh and looked away, suddenly self-conscious under that intense violet gaze. “How did you come out to your family?”

“Oh, Dray,” Link sighed as he buried his face into the crook of Draco’s neck again. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t have to. I can’t hide anything from the people I love; you’ve pointed that out enough times yourself. I just showed up one summer with a boyfriend from school and everyone basically asked why it had taken me so long.”

Smiling again as he ran a hand down Link’s back, Draco could clearly picture the scenario. “They all just knew?”

“Mum claims to have suspected since I was about 13, but dad says he knew for sure the year I turned 15. Apparently he saw me checking out one of the neighbours.”

Draco had to laugh at that image. “Well, yeah; you’re not exactly subtle.”

Moving so he was hovering above Draco again, Link grinned down at him. “No need to be with you, is there?” Draco could have sworn he heard the word ‘exhibitionist’ whispered in the short breaths Link breathed over his throat as he leant in to nibble at Draco’s collarbone. “So you’re going to tell your parents?”

It took a few seconds for the words to make their way through the fog of lust Draco was slowly drifting into. He considered replying, but gave it up for a lost cause when all that came out was a low moan as Link moved to suck on the pulse point in the base of Draco’s throat. Arching his back, Draco threw his head back as far as he could, giving Link better access. He vaguely registered a low chuckle above him before all stimulation stopped.

“Link...?” Draco blinked up at his lover in an attempt to bring him back into focus. It appeared as though Link were staring down at Draco with an almost smug expression as he watched him trying to come down from the little bubble of bliss he had created.

“Your parents?” Link prompted him when he had stopped blinking.

“Oh, yeah, um –” Draco paused, took a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping to regain some of his usual eloquence. “Next weekend, hopefully. Once I have either a yes or no from McGonagall, I’ll head straight back to the Manor and tell them both everything. Then, depending on how they react, I might wind up back here with my tail between my legs.”

“You don’t think they’ll be happy?”

“I’m not certain. Mother will most likely just be happy that I’m happy; it’s Father I have to worry about. I have no idea how he will react to the idea that his only son and heir is seeing a man. He’s never shown any signs of homophobia, but the times I’ve seen have been with influential people he didn’t want to piss off. The other issue, of course will be me working for McGonagall at Hogwarts: he was never happy with her as Deputy Headmistress, so I doubt he’ll like the idea of her having landed the Head’s position instead of Severus.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “If I’m extremely lucky, he’ll take his cue from Mother and just be happy for me. If not, then...” He trailed off, uncertainty rushing through him.

“Then you’ll come straight here; _especially_ if it looks as though he’ll get violent.”

A surge of pleasurable satisfaction ran through Draco, warming his limbs as he watched his lover above him. The fierce protectiveness that had flashed through Link’s eyes was already fading as he leant down to claim Draco’s lips again, but it had been enough to allow Draco to know that he had a place here, even if his place at the Manor was in doubt. Arching beneath Link’s ministrations again, Draco let himself be swept away by the sensations running through him.

“Bedroom,” he managed to gasp when he was finally able to think clearly for a few seconds.

“Just as comfy here,” Link responded in a slightly muffled voice against Draco’s neck and for the next hour or so, proceeded to prove that statement to Draco.


	21. Chapter 21

“Harry?”

Images of the morning spent in bed with his mate flashed through Harry’s mind as he sat in the Defence Master’s quarters with Draco sitting opposite him. McGonagall and Draco had finished their training sessions yesterday and she had been extremely pleased with what he had been able to demonstrate to her. Harry, however, was completely unconcerned with what McGonagall had had to say about Draco’s Defensive abilities. In fact, it seemed to him that he had been distracted by his hormones more and more recently. Not that he was really objecting, but it would prove to be a bit of a problem if he could not concentrate in class due to his thoughts of Sev.

“Potter, I swear if I have to watch you fantasise about Severus any longer, you’ll discover that some of your vital body parts have been hexed off.”

Harry looked up, finally coming out of his hormone-induced daze at the threat to his bits. “I don’t want you thinking about my body parts, Malfoy.”

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, Scarhead. Even if you were my type – which you aren’t – I have a much more attractive man waiting for me later on tonight.”

The smug smile Malfoy sent him made Harry’s insides squirm with revulsion. He did not need thoughts of Malfoy with _anyone_ in that kind of position flittering through his mind; they had the chance to put him off when he was with Sev. Sighing as he pushed himself up out of the chair by the fire he had claimed when they had entered the room, Harry knew that he had to let this stupid rivalry go. They were not children anymore, so it was about time to start acting like it. _Kingsley thinks you should give him a chance, so maybe you should._ He knew it was probably an extremely long shot that he and Malfoy would ever be more than polite acquaintances – unless something extraordinary happened to throw them together – but he also knew that he had to be the bigger man here and just let it all go.

“Whatever Malfoy; I don’t care.” He moved to stand beside the door to the classroom. “Look, the suite is yours if you want it. I just figured it’d be easier than migrating here from the Manor every day.”

The smug expression on Draco’s face melted away into one of thoughtfulness, almost as though he were considering his options. Harry had to resist the urge to tap his foot in impatience; antagonising Malfoy would probably only make the annoying git take even longer. _I am better than this. I will not let him provoke me into hexing him into a quivering puddle of goo, no matter how appealing that idea may be. Maybe I’ll just accidentally curse him during class one day; make it look like an accident._

“You’re certain you’ll not want this place?” Harry watched as Draco’s eyes flittered around the room, wondering if he was comparing it to the Manor.

“I’ve got no use for it.” Harry shrugged, his own eyes scanning around the room. The place had been through a lot of changes with the different Professors that had occupied the position over the years. Harry still preferred to remember the way Remus had decorated with fascinating creatures, giving the place a homely feel, rather than the pinks of Umbridge. He had to bite back a grin as he remembered provoking Sev into giving him detention so he could spend some time with the man he had not known was his mate during his sixth year. “We’ve got the Potion Master’s suite and the house in Hogsmeade, so there’s no reason for me to ever use it.”

“Alright then,” Draco offered up a smile that looked more like a grimace as he stood awkwardly in front of the fire, his hands clenching into fists by his side. “Look, this feels weird, right? I’m not the only one who thinks that?”

Harry almost sighed in relief as Draco voiced the thought that had been running through his mind every single time they had been forced together since the end of the War. Bowing his head so he could rub the back of his neck in an attempt to stop the prickling he could feel there, he tried to not let the threatening smile show. This was not the way that he had imagined his life taking shape: not only was he now going to be sharing a job with _Draco Malfoy_ of all people – as well as having to actually try to get along with him in order to accomplish it – but they were now thinking along the same lines when it came to their social interactions. He glanced up to see Draco watching him with a frown.

“More than weird,” shifting his weight onto the other leg, Harry grinned a little sheepishly. “I’ll be honest with you here: probably the only reason that we’re doing this is because of Kingsley. If he hadn’t told us both that we should try to get along, we’d most likely still hate each other. But I’m willing to give this a try; a _proper_ try, not just refraining from hexing each other in the halls.”

“You honestly think that we will be able to get along?” The doubtful look Draco shot him almost made Harry laugh.

“No, I don’t. I think we’ll snipe at each other, possibly jinx each other and generally give Hogwarts Professors a really bad name. But eventually I think we might be able to find a happy medium.” _I’ll give almost anything a try if it helps to protect the baby._

Draco seemed to consider Harry’s words carefully before responding. He eventually looked away from the fire, a small smile on his face. “Well, at least you’re honest. A happy medium is what we’ll aim for at first, then. Shall we?”

Harry smiled to himself as he followed Draco’s gesture out the door and led the way back out of the suite of rooms and up through the castle towards the Head’s office. They were to meet Sev and McGonagall there, although Harry was fairly certain that Sev was not aware of this. He had actively tried to keep the conditions of sealing the debt from his mate and it had caused him no small bit of anguish; it was unnatural for him to lie, especially to his mate after what had happened just a fortnight before. All McGonagall had told Sev was that she wished to have a private discussion with him, not that Harry and Draco had come to a decision on how Draco could fulfil his debt to Harry. He had a feeling that Sev would think this a very good idea, even if it was simply because Draco had been a favourite of his; at least he would once he got over the shock of Harry and Draco being willing to at least try to work together.

*~*

Draco eyed Severus closely as he shook his hand. He appeared to have taken the news that he and Harry were going to be sharing the Defence job incredibly easily, but it was not Draco’s lot to worry if there was going to be words between the two of them: he had his own concerns that day. Making his farewells with a subtle reminder to Harry about the Head of House duties they had yet to mention, he was surprised when McGonagall walked him to the door of the office.

“I assume you will be taking the Defence Master’s quarters?”

“Yes, Harry’s made it clear that he’ll not need them and I agree with him that migrating here from the Manor every day would be too much of a hassle. I –” He paused, unsure if what he was about to say would come across as brown-nosing or not, but deciding to go ahead anyway, as it needed to be said. “I want to thank you for giving me this chance, Professor. I know the trouble I’ve caused for you over the years – especially over the past two years of the War – and that you weren’t under any obligation to help me find work, but you have and for that I am incredibly grateful.”

She offered him a rare smile; one that crinkled the corners of her eyes. “You have proved to me over the past few months that you truly wish to make amends for the wrongs you have committed, Mr. Malfoy; therefore you shall be given that chance.” She started to turn back to Severus and Harry, still smiling. “If I can help to get at least one young life back on track, then it is my pleasure to do so.”

Draco considered her words as he made his way out of the castle grounds so he could Apparate to the Manor. Images of his parents happy together flashed through his mind, as well as images of the time he had spent with Link and he discovered that he had to agree with McGonagall. If there was a pre-destined path that each of them was supposed to follow, then _this_ is exactly where Draco wanted to be: happy and secure in both his family and relationship. He was grinning ridiculously when he arrived at the bottom of the grand staircase in the lobby of the Manor. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, as well as attempting to stop smiling, he made his way across the marble floor towards the parlour, where he figured his mother would be.

The sight that greeted him in the parlour did nothing to help his attempts to stop smiling. The bright and sunny room was usually decorated with soft lounge chairs huddled around a coffee table in front of the fire, but the chairs had been pushed back to form a gap in the middle of the room. Twirling around the space in a slow waltz were his parents. It had been many years since Draco had seen them this content – possibly even since he was a child – and he did not wish to interrupt them, even if it meant his own news had to wait. He stepped back slowly, trying to be as discrete as possible, but his father must have spotted him out of the corner of his eye, as Draco was summoned just as he was turning around to make his escape.

“Mother, Father,” he greeted them both with a smile and small nod. “I can come back later.”

“Don’t be ridiculous Draco darling,” his mother responded, waving her wand to rearrange the chairs in the position they had originally occupied. “Come in and sit; there is obviously something on your mind.”

The look she exchanged with his father sent suspicion creeping up Draco’s spine. _So they’re expecting something big, are they? Fascinating._ He moved almost hesitantly into the room and perched on the edge of the dark green, suede-covered chair at the opposite end of the coffee table to the two-seater lounge his parents now occupied. The indulgent smile his mother was shooting him did nothing to dispel the nerves that had suddenly settled in his stomach as he realised that she at least was expecting to discover the identity of his partner. _In that case, she’ll get it first. If Father wishes to object, then he doesn’t need to know about Hogwarts._ He cleared his throat and adjusted his position on the chair before taking a deep breath and dropping his eyes to his lap.

“I, um... I’ve met someone. Here at the ball almost three months ago. We’ve been dating since then and, well,” he took another deep breath in an attempt to calm the nerves and forged ahead, determined to get this out before he was unable. “I’m in love.”

Draco kept his eyes fixed firmly on the movement of his fingers in his lap, listening for any kind of reaction to his words. When none was forthcoming, he glanced up; certain he would see disapproving looks. Shock rushed through him at the sight of his mother’s bright smile.

“And what is the name of this special someone?” There was a touch of humour in Narcissa’s voice, telling Draco that she must know that his ‘someone’ was not female.

“Lincoln... Lincoln Northam.” He kept his head up, absolutely determined that he was not going to give them the impression that he was in any way ashamed of this relationship.

“The Paediatric Healer?” The fact that Lucius sounded impressed froze Draco on the spot completely. “Softly-spoken young man with a horrific taste in hairstyles, yes?”

“I quite like his hair,” was the only thing that Draco could think to respond with in the face of his father’s completely unexpected acceptance.

“He seems to be incredibly intelligent, despite appearances,” Lucius continued and Draco realised he was speaking to his mother rather than to him; possibly telling her what he knew of Link. “He makes good money, has a stable and safe job and is not in contact with anyone of ill-repute. His reputation as a professional is impeccable in the industry, which led to him being made the Head of the Severe Trauma Ward of the Paediatrics Department at quite a young age. On the surface the only negative I can see is the odd hours he works.”

Lucius looked over to Draco, almost as though expecting him to confirm what he had said. Letting out a breath he had not realised he had been holding, Draco smiled, allowing some of the pride he felt at being the one to have captured Link’s attention to shine through.

“You approve, then?” Considering what he had just witnessed, Draco already knew the answer, but he had to hear it for himself.

“Of course we approve, Draco; how could we not?” His mother had not stopped smiling brightly since he had started talking.

“Well, in that case, there’s something else you should both know,” Draco paused here, fighting back the instinctual urge to not say anything more. He had spoken to Link about this part of the discussion with his parents, and Link had given him permission to tell them about his heritage. The level of trust Link put in him still gave Draco chills; he knew how much Link was risking by allowing him to tell his parents about his Elven heritage. “Link is part Wood-Elf and, due to my small amount of Veela blood, we’ll eventually be able to have a proper bond.”

Losing all traces of the high-born Lady she really was, his mother let out a small sound like a shriek and threw herself across the room towards him. Draco caught her before she could fall off the edge of the chair he was sitting in and was pulled into a smothering embrace for his efforts. The intensely floral scent of her perfume almost choked him as she mumbled nonsense, running her hands absently through his hair.

“Oh, my Dragon,” she whispered as she pulled back, her hands smoothing down his hair where she had mussed it up. “This is wonderful news.”

Draco could feel his face heating up from the attention and he glanced automatically over to his father for support, only to find he was not there. Usually he would have intervened by now with admonitions that Draco was not a child any longer and that she should not be treating him as one, but he appeared to have abandoned Draco to his mother’s overwhelming attentions. The clink of glass over by the sideboard grabbed Draco’s attention and he turned – as much as was possible with his mother still sitting on the arm of his chair – to see his father filling three glasses with scotch.

“I believe this calls for a celebration,” Lucius announced as he turned around, a smile of his own lighting up his face.

The sight almost made Draco laugh: he had not seen his father with anything to smile over like that since well before the Dark Lord’s return. The fact that it had been him to be the one to be able to bring that kind of happiness back to his father’s face caused pride to swell in Draco’s chest. They might not have always agreed on everything, but having his parent’s approval in this one case meant the world to him. He accepted one of the glasses as his mother moved back to sit beside his father on the lounge again, attempting to discretely wipe tears from her eyes.

“You deserve all the happiness you can get, Draco,” Lucius began, raising his glass in a toast. “After everything that has happened over the past few years, if you believe you have found that happiness with Lincoln, then you shall have our blessing for your bond.”

Draco’s head swam briefly with the relief that washed through him as he raised his glass to his lips. Smiling as the smooth liquid flowed down his throat, he began to relax, little by little. By the time his glass was finished, he was able to offer a genuine smile back at his parents as they made small talk. It was not until they were about to break up and separate into different rooms that he remembered that Link was not the only news he had.

“Just before you both leave,” he began, much more confident about this than he had been about the first part of his news. “I’ve been offered a job. I’m to share the Defence Master’s position with Potter at Hogwarts.”

Grinning as he saw his mother’s eyes widen before she smiled, Draco was about to leave the room when he caught sight of his father. Sitting stiffly on the lounge, Lucius appeared to be fighting back the urge to yell: his jaw clenched in time with his fists and he was breathing deliberately slowly. He did not speak until it appeared that he had gotten control over himself again.

“A Professor, Draco? _That_ is what you wish to be?” His steely grey eyes flickered briefly over to where Draco stood in the doorway, frowning in confusion.

“Well, it wouldn’t have been my first choice, Father, but there are a limited number of people willing to hire an ex-Death Eater.” He knew his sarcasm was not helping the situation, but he really could do little to prevent it at this point. _Of all the ridiculous things to object to..._ “Potter made it the way to settle the debt between us. As it helped me out as well, I figured it would be imprudent to turn it down.”

“The way to settle your debt? Why would Potter need help with the Defence position at all?” Lucius’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, but Draco was having none of it.

“If no one has seen fit to inform you, then it is not my place to do so either.” Spinning on his heel as anger coursed through him, he snarled his parting words over his shoulder. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to catalogue some of the objects that the Ministry could throw _you_ in Azkaban for owning.”

He could have sworn that he heard his mother sigh resignedly as he made his way up the staircase.

*~*

Lincoln had given up all pretences of calm almost an hour ago. It was Saturday, which meant that he had the day off work, but he could have gone in anyway in an attempt to distract himself. The only thing stopping him was that he had no idea what time he should expect Draco. He knew, subconsciously, that the fact that it was nearly 9:30 most likely meant that everything had gone well with Draco’s parents, but he still could not push that tiny little voice out of his head that told him that something must be wrong.

Pacing a path behind the lounge in an attempt to relieve his agitation, he began to run through what he could do to discover how Draco was. He knew how to Apparate to Malfoy Manor, but how could he explain what he was doing there if it turned out nothing was wrong? _Owl post might work; firecall definitely won’t._ It was at times like this that he desperately wished that muggle technology worked properly around large amounts of magic: he was never going to take a simple telephone for granted ever again. He spun around as his wards shimmered and was pulled immediately into a passionate kiss.

 _Mate_ , his Elven senses supplied completely unnecessarily. No one had ever kissed him the way Draco did and he was going to make absolutely certain that no one did ever again. Sliding his tongue along the crease of Draco’s lips, he let out a small sound of appreciation as they opened for him. Draco tasted very faintly of fine scotch; something Lincoln stored away to ask about later. He smiled at the moan Draco let out as he clenched his hand in the bottom of Draco’s shirt, bunching it in the small of his back. The move caused Draco to rock forward a little, arching his back in an obvious attempt to get closer. He broke the kiss a few seconds later when Lincoln began to laugh.

Draco’s eyes were narrowed in what was obviously fake suspicion, if the small tilt to the edges of his mouth was any indication. “What’s so funny?”

“You like this.” Lincoln bunched his fist into the small of Draco’s back again, scrunching the bottom of his shirt in the process.

Desire pooled in Lincoln’s stomach as Draco pressed closer, pulling himself flush up against Lincoln’s chest. “I like _you_ in general and that in particular.” He pulled back as Lincoln tried to kiss him again, his smile widening. “So does Father. Like you, I mean.”

Lincoln blinked. Then, because the words he had heard still made no sense, he blinked again. “By ‘Father’ you _do_ mean Lucius, right? Tall, snooty, really long hair, tendency to abhor everything he comes across; _that_ Lucius?”

“They approve, Link.” Draco’s smile could have lit up the room if the fire had gone out. Leaning in to latch onto the pulse in the side of Lincoln’s neck, Draco continued in a slightly muffled voice, obviously paraphrasing what Lucius had said. “They both approve of my intelligent, stable lover with the impeccable reputation and horrific taste in hairstyles.”

Feeling his face heat with a combination of embarrassment and pleasure, Lincoln blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “What’s wrong with my hair?”

The sound of Draco’s laughter seemed to release something that had been buried deep inside Lincoln for a while now. A small knot of tension over what Draco’s family would think of him was slowly coming unravelled as Draco pulled back to look him in the eyes. The reality of what he had just heard finally began sinking in and Lincoln brushed the back of his fingers along one of Draco’s sharp cheekbones, enjoying the lust-filled look he received in return.

“They really approve?”

“They really do.”

“And they know about...?”

“They know about the bond, Elfling.” Draco’s voice had dropped to an almost-whisper as he leant in the rest their foreheads together. “They know I’m yours.”

“Draig... Rwy'n dy garu di,” Lincoln murmured as he captured Draco’s lips in a heated kiss. Twisting so that Draco was pressed up against the back of the lounge, Lincoln allowed his hands to roam all over his lover’s – _mate’s_ , his senses corrected – body, enjoying the shivers that ran through him at his touch.

“English, Link... Speak English,” Draco managed to gasp a few seconds later.

“I love you,” Lincoln responded immediately, despite the fact that he was certain he had spoken English in the first place. “For the way you react to me, for the way you kiss me, for not running when you were confronted by my insane sister, for the way your nose crinkles when you laugh... Dray, I love you for simply making it so easy to love you.”

He leant in to drag Draco’s bottom lip into his mouth, not giving him a chance to respond. Because Lincoln did not need a response: he was absolutely certain of Draco’s feelings for him; that they were the perfect match. Now that he had finally found his true mate, nothing could tear them apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Draig = Dragon. I figured since Draco is Latin for Dragon, then that would be his name in Welsh.  
> Rwy'n dy garu di = I love you.
> 
> BTW, there's something weird going on with the tags on Ao3. This fic isn't showing up in the tags for a day or two when I update it, so if you want to guarantee you se the new chapters, I'd suggest bookmarking it :)


	22. Chapter 22

Lincoln rubbed his fists hard over his eyes, seeing sparks burst with the pressure as he tried to force himself to stay awake. He had no idea what the time was, just that he had been there at work for longer than he had ever been before. The reason was simple: an accident in the Apothecary of one of the small wizarding towns had caused multiple injuries – mostly to young children who had been there with their parents – and his team, along with two others, had spent most of the day trying to reverse the damage. They had finally gotten the worst of the injuries under control sometime around midnight and Lincoln was currently attempting to stay awake enough to finish some of the mountains of paperwork while three fresh teams of Healers watched over the patients. The hard wooden chair he had chosen to exchange his regular chair for was supposed to be keeping him uncomfortable enough to stay focussed, but his overwhelming exhaustion was counteracting even that at the moment. He lowered his hands to see the words of one of the reports swimming blurrily before his tired eyes.

“Lincoln, dear, go home.”

He was too tired to jump at the sound of Margaret’s voice; the fact that he had not even registered that she had entered the room telling him that he should probably listen to her. The middle-aged witch was the receptionist for the entire Department when Lincoln’s team was on duty, but he figured since she was there at such a late hour that the receptionists must be taking the job in rotating shifts in order to deal with the constant influx of patients and family, just as the Healers were.

“I’m fine; I can finish this.”

“Nonsense dear,” she muttered, the endearment countered by the forceful tone to her voice. Lincoln knew that she considered herself to be almost a grandmotherly type to ‘her team’ and therefore at least partially responsible for their health – both physical and mental. She smiled at him as she dumped yet more sheets of paper in his inbox. “Your young man has been here; he’s very concerned for you. The paperwork can wait. Go home.”

Scrubbing his palms over his face, Lincoln latched onto what he saw as the only important part of those sentences. “Draco was here?”

“Yes. Now, the rest of the team left an hour ago, or more, so there’s no need for you to feel guilty over leaving. Go.” She moved to grasp hold of his arm, trying to pull him to his feet.

“Ok, ok,” he let out a small huff of a laugh as she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m going home.”

He could feel himself beginning to nod off as he stood and he shook his head to clear it before Apparating back to the hall of his flat. He blamed the combination of the sickening twisting sensation and his own fatigue when he staggered as he landed, stumbling towards the back of the lounge. The expected impact with the back of the lounge did not happen, however. The warm body he hit instead was welcoming as a pair of familiar arms wrapped around his waist, holding him steady against the chest until he caught his balance.

“Dray,” Lincoln sighed as he relaxed into the embrace. He allowed his eyes to close as he buried his face into the crook of Draco’s neck, knowing he was safe in his mate’s arms.

“ _Why_ do you do this to yourself, Link?” The despairing tone to Draco’s voice had Lincoln desperate to explain.

“I had to. I couldn’t just leave the others to take care of it; they needed me and my team there.” He pushed back from Draco’s embrace with an effort to meet his soft grey eyes. “You understand, right?”

The smile Draco offered up caused warmth to pool in Lincoln’s stomach, settling his slightly panicking Elven side. “Of course I understand. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, though. Come on, I’ll get you to bed.”

“Mmm, bed sounds really good,” Lincoln could not help responding as he collapsed into Draco’s arms again, running his lips up the side of his mate’s throat.

“As much as those robes are begging to be defiled, you need actual sleep,” Draco laughed as he began to move them slowly towards the bedroom. “I spoke to one of the other team leaders when I was at the hospital: your entire team has the day off today, no objections.”

The words penetrated through the fog of exhaustion clouding Lincoln’s mind as they made it to the door of the bedroom. “No,” he objected, trying to force himself to stay awake enough to have a proper conversation. “No, we’re needed in there today as well.”

Draco let out a small sigh as he opened the door. Somewhere in the back of Lincoln’s mind, it registered that Draco was actually managing to hold him up, with his arms wrapped tightly around Lincoln’s waist. Planting his feet in an attempt to both take some of his own weight off of Draco’s arms as well as trying to halt their progress to the bed, Lincoln heard another sigh. He knew that the second he hit the mattress he would be asleep, but he had to at least try to get the urgency of the remaining workload across to his mate. It did not occur to him that Draco had made absolutely certain that the rest of the teams who worked in shifts along with Lincoln’s were perfectly capable of handling everything the patients threw at them.

“Hey, stop that. Look at me,” Draco demanded, his voice brooking no argument. He only continued after Lincoln met his eyes. “You spent just over 20 hours there today. It’s 1:20 a.m., which would leave you attempting to function normally on less than three hours of sleep. It’s damn near a miracle that nothing went wrong with any of the patients with the hours you lot worked today. Healer MacMillan said to tell you that _none_ of the teams that worked today are going to be allowed to go back in tomorrow; hospital policy. You’re to have a three-day weekend to recover because they’ll need you and your team back in operating condition on Monday.” 

Lincoln felt his eyes closing as he leant in to rest his forehead against Draco’s. “MacMillan’s an idiot.”

“Besides that, _I_ refuse to allow you to exhaust yourself like this anymore.” Draco apparently was going to completely ignore Lincoln’s words. “I mean it, Link,” he added when Lincoln simply smiled in response. “You’ll stay here this weekend and let me take care of you. No answering owls, no rushing off at the last minute to deal with something someone else could do just as well and no getting distracted thinking about going back either, alright? No matter how much of an idiot MacMillan is.”

The idea that Draco was willing to stay and make sure that Lincoln was properly looked after had his Elven side purring with pleasure in the back of Lincoln’s mind. His body began to relax in preparation for sleep when he realised that he would be spending three straight days with his mate, simply enjoying being together: a rare occurrence with their differing schedules. Lincoln nodded and hummed his consent, leading to Draco starting to strip him of his work robes and clothing. He figured he must have fallen asleep somewhere between sitting down on the bed and when Draco hopped in himself, as he was jolted awake again as the bed dipped in. Rolling over, Lincoln opened his arms so Draco could settle himself down against his chest.

“Love you, Dray.”

“Happy birthday, Elfling,” was the last thing Lincoln heard before sleep claimed him.

*~*

Draco was woken the next morning – the day of Link’s 27th birthday – when a weight landed on his chest and his neck was peppered with kisses. Smiling as his arms wrapped automatically around Link’s chest, Draco felt warmth rush through him at the dancing violet eyes that met his when Link realised he was awake. He reached to brush a few stray dreadlocks away from his lover’s face, giving him an unbroken view of the eyes he loved so much.

“You’re in a good mood.”

“I seem to remember a promise of me being pampered this weekend,” Link responded with a grin before leaning down to attack Draco’s throat again. “I’m assuming that means that clothing will be optional for the next three days.”

Squirming as desire began to pool in his stomach, Draco tilted his head back, giving Link better access. He opened his mouth, attempting to form a response, but all that came out was a huff of breath that had Link chuckling against his heated skin. The vibrations the sound caused travelled downwards straight to Draco’s hardening cock, making him groan in pleasure.

“Anything for the birthday boy,” Draco managed to gasp as Link increased the pressure on the pulse in the side of his throat.

“Please tell me you didn’t do anything.” The reluctant tone to Link’s voice brought Draco back to reality and caused him to laugh as he opened his eyes to see amusement flash across Link’s features as he pulled back to look Draco in the eyes. He knew that Link had not been looking forward to his birthday, but Draco was determined to make the most out of it.

“I didn’t spend a single knut, just as you demanded.” The truth was that Draco _had_ spent a fair bit of money on something that he was now considering giving Link as a Christmas present because a much better idea had struck him yesterday as he waited for Link to make it home safely. “We are, however, expecting visitors this afternoon, though.”

“Oh, ‘we’ are, are we?” The smirk Link sent him caused Draco’s stomach to flip pleasantly. “And will ‘we’ have to do anything with said visitors?”

Draco laughed again as he pushed against the bed, flipping them over so he straddled Link’s hips. “You can kick them out and come back to bed if you really want, since it seemed so appealing to you last night.”

The laugh Link gave in response was swallowed as Draco leant in to kiss him. Draco allowed himself to become lost in the delicious sensations rushing through him as Link’s hands travelled up and down his back and sides, causing him to arch and wriggle with each touch. He could feel Link hardening beneath him; Draco had stripped him completely the night before, enjoying the sensation of being skin-to-skin while he fell asleep for once. Grinding his hips downwards to receive the friction they were both obviously craving, Draco leant over, fumbling with the bedside table before his hand grasped hold of the small container he was searching for. Coating his hand without breaking the kiss, he reached down between them and encircled both their cocks with his hand. He stroked slowly, coating the both of them liberally with hand-warmed lube. The moan of pleasure he dragged out of Link was matched by his own as he felt a lubed-up finger pressing into him. Draco’s hand stilled as his hips began to move, thrusting into his hand, then back onto Link’s finger in a deliberate rhythm. His pace increased as a second finger entered him, the two scissoring occasionally, opening him slowly. The slide of his cock against Link’s was almost too much for Draco to bear; he had no idea how Link was able to last with this much stimulation coursing through his body, but he managed it on a regular basis. A third finger almost undid Draco completely. He stopped thrusting into his hand and ground his hips back shamelessly onto Link’s fingers as he brushed against Draco’s prostate. Breaking the kiss to rest his head against Link’s chest, Draco realised that Link was having just as much trouble breathing properly as he was.

“Please Link, I need...” He was unable to finish the sentence as Link’s fingers pressed deliberately against his prostate again.

Turning glazed eyes on his lover, what Draco saw took his breath away: Link’s kiss-bruised lips were open as his breath came in gasps, his pupils blown wide and fixed on Draco’s face as his free hand came up to brush his fingers over Draco’s cheekbone.

“I love you, Dray.”

The stark honesty that was always in Link’s expressive eyes shone through brightly as he watched Draco’s reaction to his words. Leaning in close as he felt the fingers inside him freeze, Draco smiled. He brushed his thumbs over Link’s cheeks before sliding his hands upward to tangle in the dreads in front of Link’s ears as he brushed their lips together softly.

“As I love you,” his voice was quiet and breathy with the combination of complicated emotions that scrambled through his chest. “More than I thought was humanly possible.”

The smile he received in response sent the butterflies in his stomach into a frenzy as Link flipped them over again. Link’s weight pressed down onto him as the fingers inside him began to work again, opening him up much faster this time. Bending his knees up towards his chest, Draco locked his ankles around Link’s waist, hinting silently at what he needed as he panted in pleasure.

“All right, all right,” Link chuckled against the hot spot he had created against Draco’s throat.

The fingers left Draco’s body, leaving him feeling empty and cold for a few seconds before they were replaced with the hot, hard head of Link’s cock. Draco locked eyes with Link as he pressed forward slowly, filling Draco more effectively than he had ever imagined. The deep blue eyes that blazed down at him clearly showed everything that Link was feeling, giving credence to the declaration he had just voiced. Not that Draco needed proof that Link loved him: that fact had been proven quite effectively over the past few months. Draco sighed in pleasure and pulled Link down into a soft kiss when he was fully settled inside him. The burn of being stretched so far had turned more into pleasure than pain as Draco had gotten used to taking someone so much thicker than his previous lover. It was now something that he had come to crave and enjoyed each and every time. A tiny jerk of Link’s hips as Draco nipped at his bottom lip reminded Draco that this was not just about his own pleasure: he was going to show Link that a birthday had to be celebrated in a memorable way, not just pushed aside and ignored. Smiling as he unlocked his legs and flipped them over again, Draco clenched his muscles, enjoying the groan he received.

“Dray?”

Draco knew the word to be a question, despite the eager anticipation that flashed across Link’s face. He had not tried riding Link before, although he had done the same for Blaise on numerous occasions. In all honesty, he much preferred to have Link on top of him, his weight pressing Draco into the mattress, but special occasions called for special positions. He offered up a smile as he rolled his hips experimentally. His smile only got wider as Link gasped, his hands clenching in the sheet beneath them.

“It’s ok, Link,” Draco murmured.

He had intended to say something else, but the new angle he had just moved his hips into caused Link to brush against his prostate, silencing him much more effectively than anything else ever had. Taking a few seconds to come back down to Earth, Draco opened his eyes to see Link watching him with lust clear in his eyes.

“Merlin, you feel _so_ good,” Draco whimpered, the words almost coming out as another moan as he found his rhythm. “I’ve never had... never imagined...”

“Yes, Dray,” was the only response Draco received, but it was more than enough.

Draco panted as he felt Link’s hands running up the inside of his thighs, causing him to tremble with desire. He allowed his own hands to trace light patterns across Link’s stomach, moving up to pinch and tease his nipples. Instead of staying upright, Draco followed through on the desire he felt to taste Link’s lips again, leaning down so he could drag Link’s bottom lip into his mouth. The new angle had Link brushing occasionally against Draco’s prostate, driving him on swiftly towards the brink of orgasm. Reaching blindly between them, Draco grasped hold of the base of his cock, stalling his release for as long as possible. The bucking of Link’s hips beneath him told Draco that his lover was losing control almost as swiftly as he was. Draco released Link’s lip and moved to suck on the lobe of his ear, knowing the move would most likely force Link’s orgasm out of him.

“Gods, Dray,” Link moaned beneath him as he began to come.

Draco released the grip he had on his own cock, thankfully allowing himself the relief he desperately needed. The sound of Draco’s groan of release combined with Link’s as they both froze, obviously enjoying the sensations rushing through them. Draco was the first to come back to his senses after a few minutes, turning his head to nip against the skin of Link’s throat. He clenched his muscles around Link when he received no response. This got the desired response: Link moaned, his hands clenching on Draco’s hips.

“Best birthday present I could imagine,” Link murmured as he manoeuvred them both until they were lying facing each other on the bed. A wave of Draco’s hand cleaned them both just before Link pulled him in for a gentle kiss. “I did say all I needed was you.”

The warm smile Link gave told Draco that he had made the exact right decision. The expensive gift he so desperately wanted Link to have could wait: he would not have given up seeing Link this happy and satisfied for anything.

*~*

“Where’s Uncle Link?”

Lincoln smiled as the sound of Dylan’s voice drifted through the closed bathroom door. He spelled his hair dry with a wave of his wand before he stored it safely in the holster on the side of his jeans. Knowing that Draco and his sister’s families were more than enough to keep Dylan occupied until he was ready to face them, Lincoln glanced into the mirror instead of moving out to greet the visitors Draco had mentioned earlier in the day. He had to admit that, despite his misgivings about his birthday, it had actually been rather spectacular so far. Just how Draco had managed to pull this off was beyond Lincoln, but he found himself incredibly grateful that he had managed it. His family – which Draco was a firm member of and had been for a while now – were the only ones he wanted to spend his birthday with and his mate had managed to get most of them together to help them celebrate. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, he unlocked the door and moved out to greet his visitors.

The sheer amount of noise that greeted him in his living room stunned him a little. Seeing them all together once a month at his parent’s house was not enough for Lincoln to remember exactly how loud his family were when they all got together: Rhys and Evan – his sister’s husbands – were debating the latest Quidditch scores; all five children were running around yelling as Meredith waved a video cassette over her head; Gwen was sitting on the arm of the lounge, simply watching the children rather than attempting to stop them. The only slightly normal member of his family – his youngest sister Elinor – was standing off to the side near Draco, who was shaking his head in what appeared to be disbelief. Lincoln paused briefly to greet Ellie as he made a beeline for Draco, knowing that he would not be used to seeing such chaos.

“You alright?” Lincoln murmured, low enough so that Ellie could not have heard, but loud enough so Draco could hear him over the sound of his niece and nephews.

Draco seemed to relax a little as Lincoln wrapped his arms around his waist. “Mmm, it’s a little overwhelming, but in a good way.” Lincoln frowned a little when Draco attempted to squirm away from him. “Do you really want to do this in front of...”

Lincoln followed the direction of Draco’s uncomfortable gaze and almost began to laugh when he saw Ellie roll her eyes. She moved a little further away, giving them a bit more privacy.

“I see nothing, I hear nothing.” She held her hands up in mock-surrender, a small smile on her face. “You put up with us over the years, so we may as well repay the favour.”

“Hmm, smart girl,” Lincoln responded, turning back to his mate, whose face was alight with amusement. “Besides, it’s not every day I get to show off such a sexy man.”

Draco’s laugh caused warmth to trail slowly through Lincoln’s limbs. “Aah, so you keep a couple of ugly ones on standby for when I’m busy, right?” The confident smile would have been overly cocky on anyone else, but the effect of seeing it on Draco only caused Lincoln’s stomach to flip pleasantly. “So long as you’re not too bored when I’m not here.”

Pulling Draco closer as his arms wrapped around his neck, Lincoln breathed deeply, the scent of sandalwood causing his head to spin. “Dray...”

“I love you,” Draco interrupted him, close enough now so their lips brushed together as he spoke.

“Ew, mum, they’re doing it again!”

Disappointment rushed through Lincoln’s stomach as Draco gasped and stepped out of the circle of his arms at Dylan’s shout. He offered his mate – who was slowly turning a dull red – an apologetic smile before turning to scoop his nephew up in his arms. Dylan shrieked and squirmed, laughing as Lincoln threatened to throw him out the front door for interrupting them. The laughter only increased when Gwen began encouraging Lincoln to throw his nephew out.

The afternoon passed in a blur of laughing children, more food than any of them could have finished and a series of heated glances with Draco that told Lincoln exactly what to expect when they were alone again. It surprised Lincoln to discover that Draco was actually quite good with the kids; patient and good-humoured when peppered with impertinent questions, the sight caused thoughts to cross Lincoln’s mind that he had been avoiding thinking about.

_Will we be able to have children of our own?_ He knew the chance of Draco being able to bear children was slim, due to the fact that he only had the slightest amount of Veela blood; but if he had enough for Lincoln to be able to bond with him... It was an intriguing thought, but one for another day, Lincoln thought as they saw his family off that night.

“Did you have a good day?”

Draco’s voice startled him out of his thoughts as he turned from the front door. His mate was leaning back against the closed door to the bedroom, the smile on his face offering everything Lincoln wanted.

“It was perfect,” Lincoln responded as he moved to circle his arms around Draco’s waist. “Now, if there was only a way for me to repay you...”

Draco grinned and pressed himself as close to Lincoln’s chest as he could get. “Oh, I think I’ve got a few ideas.”


	23. Chapter 23

Lincoln sat back on his heels, admiring his handiwork. Draco lay sprawled before him on their bed – eyes closed, chest heaving, hands clenched into the sheet – his body slowly relaxing by parts as he came down from the high of orgasm. Ignoring his own pressing need, Lincoln leant forward, licking the cooling stripes of cum he had not caught off of Draco’s stomach. This was to be the last full day they would spend together before Draco started up at Hogwarts in two days and Lincoln was absolutely determined to make certain it was memorable. They had plans to eat dinner at the Lucky later on but, for the time being, Draco was all his.

“Link,” Draco whispered with a gentle tug on Lincoln’s dreads.

Obeying the pull immediately, Lincoln moved to hover above Draco, taking his weight on his elbows. Draco’s eyes fluttered open and Lincoln smiled at the glazed look he received before Draco blinked and focussed on him. The words he had planned on saying died on his lips at the look in Draco’s eyes: wide, clear, silvery-grey and shining with what was obviously love; they absolutely took Lincoln’s breath away. The soft touch of Draco’s fingers on the back of Lincoln’s neck startled him, causing him to jump a little, which made Draco grin.

“Are you just going to stare at me for the rest of the day, or are you going to do something productive?” Draco’s voice was still a little breathless, but that was overshadowed by the amusement laced over the top of the remnants of lust.

“You just came less than two minutes ago,” Lincoln pointed out with a raise of an eyebrow. “If you find that to be an unproductive use of my time, I’m sure I can find other things to occupy myself with.”

Draco lay still for a few seconds, seeming to consider the threat. He gave a small yelp when Lincoln made to move off him and grabbed a handful of dreads, pulling Lincoln down on top of him again. They struggled for dominance for a few seconds, Draco’s hands tugging in Lincoln’s hair and running up his bare ribcage, sending shivers of delight straight to Lincoln’s cock. Surrendering silently when Draco pulled him down into a deep kiss, Lincoln allowed himself to be flipped over, humming in appreciation into the kiss.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Draco murmured into his ear after breaking the kiss.

“Is that so?” Lincoln raised an eyebrow and grinned when Draco leant back to meet his eyes. “You’d better have something... _productive_... for me to do then. Wouldn’t want to be wasting time here, would we?”

Draco’s responding grin set desire sparking in Lincoln’s stomach. Reaching down, he seized hold of Draco’s hips, pulling him down on top of him. Unwilling to give his mate time to respond, and therefore delay things once again, Lincoln licked a stripe along Draco’s bottom lip, smiling when the move resulted in him having his mouth full of Draco’s tongue in a matter of seconds. One of his hands trailed soft touches up Draco’s spine, while the other reached over to the still-open jar of lube they had used earlier. Draco was already partially ready for him and two fingers slid easily inside of him, earning Lincoln a deep moan and a thrust of Draco’s hips. Increasing his pace as the fire in his stomach reminded him that he had been waiting for a while now, Lincoln carefully pressed a third finger in beside the others. His breath hitched when Draco stilled above him.

“Breathe, Link,” Draco’s voice sounded a few seconds later. “You’re not allowed to pass out until we’re done here.”

Smiling as he felt Draco pushing back onto his fingers, Lincoln opened his eyes and gulped in a deep breath, incredibly grateful that the faster pace had not injured his mate. It was not long until he was having trouble controlling his desire to be inside Draco and let his feelings be known with a hard press against Draco’s prostate.

“Please...”

It was all Lincoln needed to hear. Shoving against the bed with a foot, he flipped them over. Draco’s legs came up to wrap around Lincoln’s waist, holding him close as Lincoln coated his aching cock with lube. In the few seconds Lincoln simply knelt there, staring down at Draco in an attempt to compose himself somewhat, Draco managed to tangle his hands through the dreads at Lincoln’s temples, pulling him close. Expecting to be kissed again, Lincoln allowed his eyes to slide shut as he positioned himself at his mate’s entrance. What he had not expected was to be pulled close enough for Draco to be able to draw his earlobe into his hot mouth and start to suck gently.

“D-Dray,” he stuttered out as heated waves of pleasure crashed through him. “Stop... Too soon.”

“Don’t hold back, Link. I love you; I know you’d never hurt me.”

Unwilling – and unable – to deny himself any longer, Lincoln allowed his instincts to take over. Pressing into his mate with a deep sigh of satisfaction, he slid his hand down in-between them, grasping hold of Draco’s once-again hard cock. He fell easily into a fast rhythm, matching the stroking of his hand to the hard thrusts of his hips. The soft murmurings falling from Draco’s mouth started to become slightly incoherent when Lincoln found his prostate. Changing his angle so he hit it with almost every thrust let Lincoln control their pace even more, allowing him to recognise the small sounds Draco was making that indicated he was getting close. Sliding his fingers over the head of Draco’s cock, spreading the leaking pre-cum all over, Lincoln leant in so his lips were brushing along the shell of Draco’s ear.

“Love you too, Dray... Come for me.”

“I – I,” Draco stammered before biting down on his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

Lincoln watched as Draco arched beneath him, his body trembling as he came in hot spurts. It all proved too much for him when his name escaped from Draco’s mouth; the only coherent word out of the long line of consonants. Throwing his head back as his body began to spasm, Lincoln could have sworn he heard Draco speaking to him, but the rushing of blood in his ears was too loud to make anything out. He collapsed down on top of his mate, completely spent, after a few seconds. It took a few minutes for him to come back to his senses enough to make an attempt to extract himself from Draco, but Draco did not allow it.

“Stay... Want you to stay...”

It was the only thing Lincoln wanted at that moment as well.

*~*

_I don’t like the white; maybe we could repaint it green, or yellow?_

Harry’s nerves were driving him spare. He was standing in the middle of the baby’s room in their house in Hogsmeade, trying to decide on colours, or a scheme, or _something_ that would distract him from having to think about the 16 week scan he and Sev were going for the next morning. Of course, the added knowledge that in two days time he was going to have to stand in front of a classroom full of people he had been in school with and try to teach them without making a complete arse out of himself was not helping the situation. Stomping around the room and taking note of where certain pieces of furniture could go – just as Molly had suggested to him – was not helping to wear him out at all. He knew that he should get a good night’s sleep in preparation for the next morning but, as a first-time father, he figured he could be forgiven if he looked a little tired.

_Or should that be first-time mother?_

He glanced down at the now much more prominent swell of his belly, smiling as he ran a hand over himself. It had come as a complete shock to him when he had discovered that he was pregnant, as he had not even known it was possible, but he had realised that he really, _really_ loved the idea. Or at least he did on the days when his hormones were not trying to control every single aspect of his life. Sev loved him; this he knew to be a fact as surely as he knew his own name. There were days, however, when Harry could look down at Baby, as he had come to think of his bump, and see only an enormous stomach making him about as unattractive as humanly possible. These thoughts were – thankfully – usually chased away by Sev’s eager hands and lips kissing and caressing Harry’s insecurities away.

_This would be so much easier if I knew the sex of the baby. Not that I want to know it just yet._

That was another problem that Harry had been having recently: his indecisiveness. Molly had said that it was to do with the pregnancy hormones; ‘baby brain’ she had called it. She had also told him to watch out for forgetfulness, although, thankfully, Harry seemed to have missed out on that particular joy of pregnancy. He found it strange that with all the well-wishes they had received when they had discovered that they were to have a child, no one had thought to mention all of the things to do with pregnancy that were actually more of a nuisance than anything else. Out of all the people who had come up to him to congratulate him, not a single one of the women who had kids of their own had apparently thought to warn him that he would go from unbelievably horny to wanting to eat ice-cream in a dark corner, hiding away from the rest of the world, in two seconds flat. They had also not mentioned the amount of time he would spend wandering around in search of a toilet, the swollen ankles, or the constant ache in his lower back as the baby grew.

_Maybe if we stuck the cot here by the window, it would save room for when Baby’s older and needs a proper bed. It’d also leave just enough room for another bed for when the next one comes along. Not that we can’t extend the house..._

That thought had Harry pacing back and forth in front of the box that held the still-folded cot. He had, of course, wondered if Sev wanted more than one child, but he had not had the courage to ask yet. It had been a dream of Harry’s to have at least three, possibly even four children, despite the fact that it now appeared that he would be having those children himself.

Swearing profusely as he tripped over a box in his distraction and it came crashing over with a loud thump, Harry forced himself to stop and take a breath. Closing his eyes, he focussed solely on the tiny feeling of _Severus_ he always had whenever Sev was close enough, trying to somehow force himself to be able to feel something other than the fuzzy sense of emotions he always had of his mate. He had absolutely no idea if he had actually managed to force something out of the bond, but it was at that exact second that he got a rush of nerves and tension down the bond so strong he could not have resisted the pull towards his mate even if he had wanted to.

Moving swiftly out of the room and down the stairs, it took a second for Harry to be able to see his mate, crouched over on the lounge as he was. His pace slowed as he saw some of the tension leave Sev’s shoulders when he moved near. He moved to kneel in front of his mate, whose hair was hanging down in front of his eyes as Harry leant in to meet them.

“You know, you wouldn’t ever feel this shitty if you’d just tell me when you’re over-stressed rather than waiting for it to get so bad I can feel it through the bond.”

The shamed smile Sev offered up in response told Harry everything he needed to know. Shifting so that he was sitting on the lounge where Sev had been a few seconds before with Sev sitting on the soft footstool in front of him, Harry began to slowly knead the tension out of his muscles. Sev had been taken by surprise the first time Harry had voluntarily given him a massage, but Harry knew that he had come to enjoy and even look forward to them. The deep groan Sev gave as he relaxed back into Harry’s touch served as more than enough proof for Harry to continue. It took a few minutes for Sev to do anything other than breathe deeply and let out an occasional sigh of pleasure.

“The hospital ward, Harry!”

It was obvious that there had been some kind of conversation going on in Sev’s head that Harry probably should have been privy to, but as the words made no sense out-of-context, Harry could not help the slight sarcasm he responded with. “Yes, Sev, we’re going there tomorrow, remember?”

“Poppy has medical books in the hospital ward; books that may have something on Wood Elves. She has to be versed in many different species because Hogwarts has had students from all different bloodlines over the years. Since it has been so long since there has been a student with enough Wood Elf blood, Poppy herself would not have had any contact with any of them, but at some point _one_ of the Matrons must have. Those books must have something about them; something useful. If we can just –”

“Whoa, Sev, wait a second!” Harry squeezed the hand he still had on Sev’s shoulder, holding him still despite the growing excitement in his chest.

“Harry...”

The warning in Sev’s voice should have stopped Harry, but he knew he had to listen to his rational side for the time being. “Sev, it’s almost 11 o’clock at night. I’m fairly certain Madame Pomfrey would be asleep by now. Besides that, she’s told us to come by at about 8 tomorrow. That’s less than 12 hours away; those books aren’t going anywhere.”

“Distract me.” Sev ran a hand through his hair, distracting Harry rather than the other way around.

“What?” Harry responded intelligently, his brain scrambling to catch up to the conversation, as it was stuck back with the drag of Sev’s hand through his hair.

“I am fairly certain I could not sleep at the moment and judging by what I can feel from you, neither could you. So, with that in mind: distract me.” Sev stood and began to pace in front of the fire, the movement sending warmth spreading through Harry’s stomach.

“Ok, erm... I don’t suppose you’re interested in the latest Chudley Cannons scores? Ok, ok,” Harry laughed when Sev glared at him. “Oh, I’ve got it! Lily!”

Sev froze and turned slowly towards Harry, a strange look on his face. “What about her?”

“That’s what I want to name the baby if it’s a girl.”

Harry watched his mate, not caring if the hope he felt at Sev agreeing to this showed on his face. He smiled when he saw Sev begin to relax. Sitting up to allow Sev in behind him on the lounge, Harry let out a small sigh of pleasure as Sev’s hands circled around him and came to rest on his belly.

“Lily; it’s perfect.”

Relaxing back into the warm embrace, Harry could feel his eyelids slowly growing heavier now that he knew his mate was fine. “Really? Because I don’t want you to agree with me if you don’t want to.”

The contented hum he received in response almost made Harry laugh in relief. Sev’s breathing was slowly evening out behind him and Harry struggled to keep enough of his wits about him to transfigure the lounge so they could both lie down comfortably. There was no way he would be able to move Sev by himself, but the lounge was more than comfortable enough for two after he had widened it. Sev’s fingers wrapped around Harry’s wrist when he stood to retrieve a thick blanket from the next room, not allowing him to get too far away. The idea that his mate wanted him near sent warmth pooling in Harry’s stomach as he Summoned the blanket and threw it over the two of them as he lay down.

“‘S ok, Sev; go to sleep.”

*~*

Draco smiled as Link’s hands circled around his waist to grab hold of his arse. The responding throb his body gave to being pulled tightly against his lover was more pleasant than painful and he wrapped his arms around Link’s neck, pressing himself up against him closely. He knew for a fact that he would not have been groped like this in public if not for the whiskey Link had had; enough to loosen his inhibitions, but nowhere near enough to impair the rest of his senses. If he was to be truly honest, Draco knew that he, too, was just this side of pissed; not drunk, not even tipsy, just nicely buzzed. The joyful feeling he got from being with Link was what he focussed on as they swayed in time to the music. The bass thrummed through his veins, vibrating his entire body and relaxing him further into Link’s hold on him. His eyes closed involuntarily as he rested their foreheads together.

“Link,” Draco began, not knowing what he was going to say, but knowing he needed to say _something_ : it was their last full night together before his work got in the way after all.

“It’s ok, Dray,” Link murmured into Draco’s ear. “We’re ok.”

Draco hummed in contentment at the reassurance, burying his nose into a clump of dreads behind Link’s ear. He had no idea how Link had known what he was searching for, especially considering that he had not known himself, but found himself incredibly thankful once again for his lover’s uncanny ability to cut straight to what was bothering him. The earthy scent that he got from Link’s hair overwhelmed him and sent him drifting in a pleasurable haze as his world narrowed down to just the two of them on the dance floor of the Lucky. He had no idea how long they simply stayed there, swaying to the thumping beat of the music, but he was dragged out of his happy daze when he felt Link tensing in his arms.

“What’s wrong?”

He pulled back to see Link’s gaze fixed on the bar. Turning to see what was so fascinating, Draco watched as a man approached the bar, his eyes fixed on the barmaid. She looked absolutely terrified: eyes wide, hands clenching by her sides and shoulders stiff from tension. Link moved before Draco could stop him, heading directly for the man, who had a hunger in his eyes that told Draco exactly what was on his mind. Following along in his lover’s wake, Draco was unsure of what Link thought he was going to do, but knew that he could not leave him to deal with this alone.

Link reached the bar before him and grabbed hold of the man’s arm, moving in between him and the barmaid. Draco could see Link’s lips moving, but was unable to make out whatever it was he said to the man, due to the distance and the volume of the music. What he did hear was the murmuring that started up behind him; a low buzzing that grew louder and louder until he was shoved aside as someone broke through the group of people Draco was standing near.

“What the hell...?”

Draco’s blood ran cold in his veins as he straightened up. Link was still standing a few paces from him, but now he had his arms wrapped around the waist of a man who could only be Adrian. His mind went completely blank as he got a short glimpse of Link’s glowing dark blue eyes before he drew Adrian closer and kissed him slowly. He was obviously enjoying the sensation – as was Adrian – as his hands slid down Adrian’s back so one of them could clench into the fabric of his shirt in the small of his back. It was this that prompted Draco into moving more than anything else: no one else had the right to have Link reacting that way to them, no one but him.

“Get the _fuck_ off of him!” Draco started towards them, anger fuelling his steps, fully intending to curse Adrian into a tiny puddle of goo, but was prevented by a hand on his sleeve.

“He’s been claimed, mate.”

“Like bloody hell he has! Not by _him_ ,” Draco responded automatically without even turning around to see who it was who had tried to stop him. “Link!”

He could hear the pain in his own voice as he watched his perfect little world crumbling down in front of him. The murmuring increased in volume again when Draco took another step towards them, trying to shake the hand from his sleeve. He knew that people were staring – that he was making a scene – but Link was _his_ damn it. How dare that bastard try to steal him? He could make out a mumbled word every now and then from the crowd forming behind him and the most prominent of them all was ‘claimed’. Pain like a knife stabbing straight through his heart pierced through him every time he heard it: there was no way he could allow himself to believe that Link would accept being claimed by Adrian.

“Lincoln!”

His shout seemed to break Link out of whatever spell Adrian had cast over him. _Maybe that’s it: a love potion? He can’t_ want _to be with Adrian!_ The hand on Draco’s sleeve left as he took another tentative step towards where Link stood blinking down at Adrian, his hand still clenched into the bottom of that bastard’s shirt. He appeared to be saying something, but Draco was unable to make it out. Adrian responded briefly before spinning around to face Draco, leaving Link looking a little stunned behind him.

“He is _mine_ ,” he snarled, mostly at Draco, before turning to cast his glowing blue eyes over the rest of the crowd surrounding them.

Draco completely ignored him, instead taking another step towards Link, who looked as though he were fighting some sort of internal battle with himself. His eyebrows were drawn down over his glowing eyes, his breathing irregular, his hands clenching sporadically by his sides as though he wanted to punch something but had no target. Needing the reassurance of those strong arms around him – and knowing that a previous relationship did not have to break up if one partner was claimed – Draco stepped purposefully towards him, stretching a hand out to take Link’s in his. He was prevented by Adrian stepping in front of him, a hand with deadly-looking claws placed almost casually on Draco’s chest.

“Didn’t you hear me? He. Is. _Mine_. You’re never going to touch him again. Someone like Link needs a real mate, a _proper_ Elf, not some disgusting abomination like you. Let me guess... Veela?” Adrian sneered the words, his glowing eyes fixed firmly onto Draco’s face.

The reality of his situation was slowly starting to creep through Draco’s consciousness, telling him that Link really _had_ just been claimed by Adrian. He knew for a fact that Adrian was highly unlikely to want his mate to be with anyone but him, but Draco had a prior claim and was unwilling to relinquish Link to someone like him. Link loved him... right? He would never throw Draco over for _Adrian_... right? There was no way Link could have faked everything they had together... _right?_ He dragged his eyes away from Adrian to fix on Link over the other man’s shoulder. He was shaking his head, almost as though he were trying to shake the claiming off. This gave Draco a boost of confidence that Link would never allow Adrian to separate them, even if he was Link’s true mate.

“Fuck off Adrian.”

He shoved the other man out of his way and went to step up to Link once again, but Link was too fast for him. Pushed back up against the bar, Draco was held motionless as much by the look in Link’s eyes as by his arm across Draco’s chest. He looked almost wild: eyes wide and flashing with a protective anger that Draco had never seen there before. Pain and fear blossomed in Draco’s stomach as he watched what almost looked like hatred flash across the face of the man he loved.

“Link?” The word came out as a harsh whisper as the pain of what was happening tried to force its way around the lump forming in Draco’s throat.

“Stay away from my mate.” Link frowned and blinked again as soon as the words were out of his mouth, looking almost as though he could not believe he had said them.

_Mate..._ the way Link said it, with such conviction, was what caused doubts to bloom in the back of Draco’s mind. _Have I been used? Was I just a stop-gap solution? He wants a mate more than anything; now he has a proper one am I useless to him? Has he ever loved me, or was it all an act?_ That last thought caused steely determination to tense Draco’s muscles. He was sick of being the victim in other people’s plans; if Link wanted to use and discard him, then Draco would try his best to inflict just as much pain to him as Draco himself was suffering through.

“Get off me.” It hurt more than he thought it was possible for him to hurt, but there was no way he was going to stand there and be humiliated any further.

“Dray?” There was a confused tone to Link’s voice as he loosened the grip he had on Draco and took a small step backwards.

Swallowing hard around the lump in his throat, Draco braced himself for what he was about to do. “Get your hands off me.”

Blinking rapidly, Link stumbled backwards as Draco pushed against his chest. “What... Dray?”

Draco allowed his eyes to slide shut for a few seconds, needing to feel the pain lancing through his chest to give himself the strength he knew he lacked naturally. He stood up properly and began to straighten his clothing as he watched Link’s eyes – still glowing, but clear of the glaze that had been in them just a few seconds before – slide back and forth between him and Adrian. The realisation of what had just happened seemed to strike Link just as Draco was preparing to Apparate away.

“No... _No_ ,” Draco could hear the pain that now began to lace through Link’s voice, but it was too late. “Wait, Dray; don’t leave, please.”

Meeting the glowing eyes of the man he had assumed loved him, Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Don’t you _ever_ touch me again.”

The twisting squeeze of Apparition dropped Draco onto the hearthrug in the parlour of Malfoy Manor a few seconds later. _I don’t love him... I don’t love him... I_ don’t _love him._ He landed on his knees, the physical pain dulled completely by the mental pain of knowing he had just lost the man he loved. The wards both chimed and shimmered, signalling his arrival to whoever was home, but by then he was too lost in the pain to care who showed up and saw him. _I don’t love him..._

“Draco, is that you? You don’t love who?” The sound of his mother’s voice cut through the fog around Draco’s mind, telling him that he must have spoken aloud. “Oh, my dragon, what happened?”

“Mum?” Draco looked up as he was enveloped in the soft fabric of his mother’s robes, her warm embrace offering a tiny amount of comfort. “He’s gone; Link’s been c-claimed.”

His voice hitched as he said the words, finally completely acknowledging the cause of his pain. The lump in his throat began to melt as he felt hot tears start to slide slowly down his cheeks. His mother held him tight, mumbling nonsense words in an obvious attempt to offer what little comfort she could, but it was no use: Draco knew the only person who could make anything better neither needed nor wanted him. Link had his mate, the one thing he had wanted desperately since he was a teenager, and Draco fit nowhere into his life anymore.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I figured some explanation was due for Link's reactions, so you're now getting his POV of his claiming. I think I should also apologise for the length of this fic. I assumed it would be the same as the previous one, but it's nearly as long as it already :/

“You want to step away from her right now.” Lincoln grabbed the arm of the man who was advancing on the barmaid and dragged him back away from her.

“Do I really?”

“Yeah, you do,” he allowed his wand to be seen, pressing up against the man’s stomach and was rewarded with a widening of the man’s eyes as he stepped back. “Stay away from her.”

Watching as the man backed off, Lincoln became aware of a buzzing behind him, almost as though something big had happened and he had missed it. Turning to search out Draco, he was overwhelmed with a rush of joy as his mate stepped up to him. Wrapping his arms around his middle automatically, Lincoln could feel his Elven side pressing itself forward, but could not bring himself to care, as his mate brought their lips together in a soft kiss. Swimming in the sense of _right_ he got from the kiss for a few seconds, Lincoln tried to ignore the press of a niggling feeling in the back of his mind. This was his mate, but was also very much _not_ his mate at the same time. His Elven side could sense the man in his arms – recognised him as having claimed Lincoln just a few seconds before – and there was definitely a low-level sense of someone else’s emotions in the back of his mind, but they felt _wrong_. There was too much about this man that was wrong: he was too short, his taste was wrong, he kissed at the wrong angle and his scent was off. It was the scent that sent alarm bells blaring in Lincoln’s mind; Draco smelt deliciously of sandalwood, not designer cologne. Whoever this man was, he was _not_ Lincoln’s true mate.

“Lincoln!”

His mate broke apart from him with a small gasp at the sound of the shout. The shout in a _painfully_ familiar voice that should have belonged to the man in Lincoln’s arms.

“Dray?” He blinked a few times, trying to decipher what he was seeing before him.

“Guess again, lover boy,” his mate sneered before spinning to face the crowd that had gathered before them. “He is _mine_.”

Lincoln stood stock still, trying to combine what he was seeing with what he knew to be true. He had finally been claimed – and one part of him was rejoicing that fact – but that man was not Draco. _No, Draco’s my mate_ , he told himself stubbornly and felt the responding joy that idea caused from his Elf. _One week; just one week and we can seal the bond_. This time his Elf rebelled at the thought, knowing instinctively that Draco had not been the one to claim him. Lincoln’s hands clenched by his sides as pain and anger rushed equally through him, making it difficult to breathe. _Draco, I want Draco. He’s my mate; I don’t want anyone else!_

Slight movement in front of him caught Lincoln’s attention and his senses told him that his mate was standing in front of him, preventing Draco from reaching him. _No, Draco_ is _my mate!_ Lincoln shook his head as the two differing sides of himself battled it out in his mind. The side of him that was fully human – his father’s side – wanted Draco and only Draco; his Elven side, while recognising that Draco had the sole claim over his heart and mind, knew that the man who had claimed him was currently standing in between them. His Elf, however, also seemed to be equally unwilling to give Draco up as his human side, attempting to fit his two mates into the one place in his mind.

“Fuck off Adrian.”

Lincoln’s Elf flared as he saw his mate shoved off balance. Anger flashed white-hot through him, blurring his vision. His dominant protective instincts kicked into hyper-drive and he had the source of his anger pinned up against the bar in a matter of seconds, his arm across the man’s chest. Unable to keep everything running through him inside, Lincoln glared down at whomever it was that had dared to threaten his mate.

“Link?” The harsh whisper held so much pain that it stunned Lincoln a little.

“Stay away from my mate.” He frowned, unsure why he was warning Draco away from himself as he belatedly recognised the voice behind the whisper. Blinking to try to clear the fog away from his mind, Lincoln felt shock ripple through him when he felt Draco tense.

“Get off me.”

Lincoln’s shock deepened as the scent of sandalwood washed over him, telling him that it was definitely Draco that he had pinned against the bar. His mind rushed frantically, trying to piece the bits of fragmented information together. He loosened his grip when the alarm bells in his mind hitched up a level and stepped carefully backward, confusion running through him.

“Dray?”

“Get your hands off me.” There was a cold, aristocratic tone to Draco’s voice that he had never used with Lincoln before.

Panic started to settle solidly in Lincoln’s chest as he was shoved hard, causing him to stumble as he backed off away from Draco. “What... Dray?”

He blinked rapidly as the puzzle pieces fell neatly together. He had been claimed, but not by Draco; he had, in fact, just _threatened_ Draco. Glancing over to where he had the fuzzy sense of _mate_ , Lincoln could feel his eyes widening as he saw exactly who it was that had claimed him. Adrian stood a few steps away, a smug expression on his handsome face as he watched the interaction. Looking back to Draco, Lincoln could see pain written clearly across his face. He wanted to go to him, wanted to soothe that pain away, but knew instinctively that it would only make matters worse. If they were to get through this, Draco had to come to him, not the other way around. It was not until Draco straightened and appeared to be preparing to Apparate away that it hit Lincoln that he was about to lose his lover because of this. It had not occurred to him that Draco would leave him: it was an idea that was absolutely impossible in his mind. Draco loved him, _wanted_ to be with him and would never leave him to have to deal with something as horrifying as being claimed by Adrian alone. Except... That was exactly what appeared to be happening.

“No... _No_.” The massive amounts of pain that were making an effort to choke Lincoln made their way into his voice as he denied the idea that Draco would leave him to deal with this alone. “Wait, Dray; don’t leave, please.”

Draco’s eyes went a solid, steely grey as they locked with Lincoln’s. “Don’t you _ever_ touch me again.”

Lincoln reached out, intending to grab hold of Draco’s sleeve. His fingers curled, just missing fabric, but hitting skin instead. His breath was squeezed out of him as he was side-along Apparated away from the Lucky.

“You don’t seem to be able to grasp the idea of having a _real_ mate.” The judgemental voice belonged to Adrian, not Draco. “You’re mine. You don’t get to play around with the repulsive half-breed anymore. I’m the only one who gets to touch you; I’m the only one you’ll need.”

Lincoln ripped his hand out of Adrian’s grasp – it must have been him who had grabbed his hand away from Draco at the last second – and twisted, attempting to Apparate back to his flat. Draco _had_ to have gone back there; there was no way he would leave Lincoln alone, not at a time like this. It was that idea that was keeping the panic threatening to overwhelm him at bay: that Draco would never leave him. He spun back around when it became clear that there were anti-Apparition wards up.

“Let me out.”

“You don’t really think you’ll be able to find him, do you?” The malice in Adrian’s glowing eyes sent shivers of loathing down Lincoln’s spine. “He’s gone: there’s no way you’ll ever get him back now.”

“Draco loves me,” Lincoln shot back, knowing it to be true, but also needing to hear the words to reassure himself that everything would be ok. “He knows a pre-existing relationship doesn’t have to break up just because one of the partners gets claimed.”

“Convention in cases like this one states that –”

“I can stay with Draco as long as I give you a fair chance to seal the bond in the three months,” Lincoln interrupted. He had made certain to check once he had known that it was inevitable that he would fall for Draco, even before he knew that they could bond.

“Yes, but you aren’t allowed to touch him in those three months.”

“That applies to sex alone and you know it.” _I can go three months without sex._

“Are you absolutely _certain_ pretty boy loves you enough to stay without sex for three whole months? That’s a long time to wait for someone who isn’t worth it.”

The calculating look that entered Adrian’s eyes should have told Lincoln that he was being tested, but the idea that his mate thought him worthless was too distracting right at that moment. He was reacting instinctively to Adrian already, the magic of the claiming forcing him to treat Adrian as his submissive, despite Lincoln not wanting him. The very idea that Adrian thought him worthless in any way was enough to cause pain to begin to curl in his chest regardless of what he thought of Adrian as a person: personal feelings were overridden by the demands of the bond. Clenching his hands into fists as his Elf flared, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _Draco is my true mate and_ his _opinion is the only one that matters. I’ll get back to him, smooth things over and we’ll be fine._

“Love isn’t a partial thing, Adrian,” Lincoln could not help quoting Draco, despite the man the words were being aimed at. “He loves me and that’s that.”

“Oh, you have such faith in the little worm.” Lincoln just barely resisted flinching when Adrian ran a finger down his forearm. “It’s touching, really: you’re like a lost puppy waiting for his master to come home. Well. Like I said, you’ll not be seeing him ever again, even _if_ you do manage to find him after the way you treated him tonight. No self-respecting wizard would come back to someone who treats the man they supposedly love like that.”

Fear over the possibility of Adrian’s words being true rose in Lincoln’s throat, choking his response. He had to believe that they could not be true: Draco would be waiting for him when he got back, he _had_ to be. Lincoln had defied the laws of his culture for Draco, risked being severely punished so they could have a chance at bonding; surely Draco would not leave him after everything he had risked for them to be together? Using the hope he felt whenever he thought of Draco to strengthen his resolve, he turned to face Adrian, whose scorn for him was showing clearly on his face.

“Take the wards down; let me leave.” He felt a small surge of pride at how unimpressed he managed to sound in the face of knowing that the man who had claimed him thought him worthless. “You’ve got no further need for me tonight.”

Adrian merely stood and stared at him for a few seconds, his expression unreadable. “Fine,” he sighed after Lincoln did not flinch away from his gaze. “I’ll expect to see you back here in a week.”

Lincoln Apparated without a second thought as soon as he felt the wards dropping. He landed in his flat a few seconds later, anticipation at seeing Draco again sending adrenalin coursing through his veins. Glancing quickly around the small hall, he moved out into the living room, wishing he could sense Draco the same way he could now sense Adrian.

“He’s not here.” Gwen’s voice was low and held more sorrow than Lincoln had ever heard from her before. “Tess firecalled me as soon as you both left the Lucky; he hasn’t come back, Link.”

Lincoln ignored her words and brushed past, heading for the bedroom. A small frown creased his brow as he methodically checked both the bedroom and bathroom. Draco had to be there somewhere: he simply _had_ to be. Lincoln loved and trusted him above anyone else he was not blood related to; there was no way Draco would betray that trust. His breath quickened when it became apparent that Draco was not in the kitchen either, fear starting to creep across his skin, leaving goosebumps behind. Taking a deep breath – knowing that this last room must hold his mate – he stepped from the kitchen through to the living room. The _empty_ living room. His mind went completely blank as he stood staring at the lounge, a dense fog descending over him as he tried to process the idea that his mate had left him.

_No, it_ can’t _be true. He wouldn’t leave me, he_ wouldn’t!

“Link?”

Lincoln looked up to see Gwen hesitantly reaching for him. The sympathy in her eyes was enough to break the dam of twisted emotions that he had been holding back by sheer force of will. The fog cleared from his mind, to be replaced by a pain and sense of loss that throbbed through him in time to his pulse. Draco was gone – his mate had left him – and there was nothing he could do about it.

*~*

Draco awoke on Tuesday – the first day of classes at Hogwarts – to the worst hangover he had ever experienced. Absolutely refusing to acknowledge that the sun had risen, he snuggled further down into his warm bed and tried to ignore the ache of loss in his chest. He had spent the previous day drinking to try to numb the pain he felt over losing Link to Adrian and sending hexes at the house-elves that his mother sent in to try to pull him out of his suite. The thought that an answer to all the questions he had regarding Link and his bond to Adrian would not be found at the bottom of a bottle of Firewhiskey floated vaguely through his mind as his head throbbed. Answers were exactly what he was after: there were still so many questions floating through his mind that it was slightly surprising that he could spare the mental capacity to think of anything else. Mentally prodding at the wound, he realised that while he did want answers to the many questions he had, he only wanted them if they were to his liking. If it turned out that Link had left him willingly for Adrian, then Draco thought he was better off not knowing what an idiot Link had made of him.

He knew that he could not lie in bed all day sulking, no matter how appealing the idea was. He had a new job to start and feelings to ignore and in order to do either of those things, he first had to make it out of his nice, warm bed. The quiet _pop_ of house-elf Apparition startled him out of his thoughts: he never usually heard them.

“Mistress Narcissa sends Binky in to get Master Draco up and out of bed.” Binky started moving around the room opening curtains and drawing Draco a bath when his only response was to groan and snuggle further down into the covers. “A Malfoy must always make a good impression at work, Master Draco. Binky knows Master Draco is starting a new job today, so Binky has laid out a set of good robes. Binky has also taken the liberty to provide a hangover potion from Master Lucius’s collection.”

Draco pulled the covers back just enough so that he could see the wide green eyes of the house-elf staring at him nervously. He supposed he should feel grateful that Binky was fond enough of him to want to ease his hangover: she had been with the family for longer than Draco could remember and he knew how terrified she was of Lucius, especially when he got in one of his moods. Carefully reaching out from under the covers, he took hold of the potion and downed it in one breath.

“Thank you, Binky.” His voice came out croaky, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “Don’t worry: he’ll assume it was me anyway.”

He waited until she nodded in acknowledgement and walked back into the bathroom to supervise the running bath, then immediately threw the covers back over his head, blocking out the sunlight. He had not thought it was possible for _anyone_ to feel this miserable, let alone himself. The years he had spent in the Slytherin dorms had shown him that he was made of stronger stuff when it came to relationships than the others in his year: he had lost count of the amount of times he had had to comfort Pansy over a failed tryst. _You haven’t really loved anyone before now..._ He grimaced at the thought as a fresh wave of sorrow washed over him, causing his arms to wrap automatically around his chest as best they could in his current position beneath the covers. His knees drew up to his chest and he allowed himself to wallow for a while, curled into a tight ball of misery in his bed.

He made a rudimentary attempt to use his Occlumency to lock his emotions away, but it failed miserably as a fresh wave of loss cut through his attempts. The fact that he was even willing to show just how much he was hurting was proof to him of how much he had changed over the past three months. Before he had been with Link, he never would have allowed himself to show this much emotion, especially this _kind_ of emotion. His Aunt Bellatrix had trained him to not allow any kind of vulnerability to show through his mask of indifference, but apparently Link had changed that. No matter how hard he tried to compartmentalise it, this level of hurt was absolutely insisting on being felt, pulsing through his mind and body in time with his heartbeat. Sighing as Binky called out to him that the bath was ready, he pushed the covers back reluctantly and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

_Maybe I’ll get a bit of a reprieve at Hogwarts?_

*~*

“Why should I believe a word you say, Malfoy? You’ve never hesitated to hex someone who annoyed you in the past, why should you now?”

Harry’s hands clenched at his sides as he glared into the steely grey eyes of his co-Defence Professor. His hormones had gotten the better of him that morning and, no matter how hard he tried to conceal it, he knew that Sev had noticed just how annoyed he was with the entire world at large at the moment. The fact that Malfoy appeared to be in the exact same kind of mood had only pissed Harry off further, despite knowing that starting a fight with him on the first day of the new school term was an incredibly bad idea.

“For fuck’s sake, Potter, how can you be so dense? You’d really want to hope that kid ends up with Severus’s brains, because if not, then the future of the wizarding world is most likely doomed.” 

Malfoy paced the length of the staffroom, appearing to be just as agitated with Harry as Harry was with him, although Harry could not work out why. Not that he cared: Malfoy had never needed a logical reason to be angry with Harry before, why should this time be any different? Thankful that he now had an outlet for his anger that did not involve hexing his mate, Harry focussed his whole attention on the pacing wizard in front of him, preparing for a drawn-out argument.

“I’m _not_ stupid, Malfoy. All I want to know is if you’re going to be able to control your usual ferrety nature and not try to hex any of my friends during class.”

Knowing it would annoy Malfoy even more, Harry moved to block his path, his arms crossing protectively across his middle. Harry’s levels of annoyance at being stuck in the staffroom with Malfoy like they were naughty children were growing with each breath the git took, almost as though the very fact that Malfoy was breathing was causing Harry’s anger to grow. He knew the idea was ridiculous – he had never wished the arrogant bastard dead – but he could not help thinking that if Draco Malfoy had never existed, his life would have been so much easier.

“What? Worried about Granger and the Weaselette are you?”

It was not the mocking tone to Malfoy’s voice that sent irritation grinding along Harry’s nerves so much as the fact that as he said the words, his wand dropped down from the holster hidden up his sleeve. Who the hell did he think he was to be threatening the safety of Harry’s unborn child? His protective instincts kicked in immediately as he saw a slight movement out of the corner of his eyes. Withdrawing his own wand from the holster in his robes, Harry sneered at Malfoy, knowing that he was the better dueller of the two of them.

“No, actually; I know they’re both more than a match for you. I just don’t want them to get into trouble for cursing you; animal cruelty and all that, you know.”

Movement off to his right behind him again distracted Harry as he was about to cast the first hex he could think of, but he was prevented when an incredibly strong shield appeared between him and Malfoy. He was pushed off-balance and stumbled backwards, his knees connecting with the seat of a chair and he promptly sat down. Satisfaction flowed through him when he saw Malfoy bounce back from the shield and knock his head on the wall behind him.

“What the –”

“Sev, that was –”

“Entirely called for, and you both know it.” Harry’s attention whipped around to the source of shield – his aggravated-looking mate – as disappointment bit through him. “Now, as I refuse to play nursemaid for the two of you for the rest of the school year, you are going to stay in here until you can at least pretend to be civil.”

“Are you kidding me? You cannot treat me like a child anymore –” Malfoy tried to interject, but Sev stopped him once again.

“I will treat you exactly as you deserve, Mr. Malfoy. I have no time for this petty immaturity. When the time comes for us all to be present for the Welcoming Feast, I hope you will be capable of at least simulating politeness towards each other.”

Despite the icy tone to the words, Harry felt himself overwhelmed with a feeling of safety as Sev stepped between him and Malfoy. Rising slowly to his feet to meet his mate on equal ground, Harry frowned as he felt his Elven side starting to take control over his actions. Locking eyes with Sev, he sensed what he could only describe as the strongest projection of trust he had ever felt from his mate. Something shifted in the back of Harry’s mind and a feeling of having connected with his mate on a completely different level settled in it’s place. Beneath the sensation of both safety and security he was receiving from Sev at that moment, he became aware of a steady – if weak at this stage – stream of love. _This is the bond_ , something in the back of Harry’s mind supplied and he found he could only agree. The bond must have started to seal itself in that moment of trust between the two of them. Reaching to pull Sev into a soft kiss, Harry knew that everything was going to work out just fine: he and Sev would work everything out and seal the bond just as soon as possible.

It seemed to Harry that when Sev stepped back, he came out of some kind of trance. He saw Sev shake his head, almost as though trying to clear it of the slight confusion that Harry could feel, both his mate’s as well as his own. He knew in that second that as soon as he could get his mate alone, they would be able to seal the bond. But first, he had to deal with the annoyingly blond git still glaring at him from over Sev’s shoulder.


	25. Chapter 25

Draco’s eyes narrowed even further as Potter separated himself from Severus and turned to face Draco with a look of determination. Revulsion had turned his stomach at the disgusting display of happiness Potter and Severus had just put on: staring deeply into each other’s eyes before engaging in a soft kiss. They had both looked a little dazed as they broke apart, which had only made Draco feel worse.

 _It should have been this way with Link._ Draco turned away from the sight of Potter’s happy face as that thought drifted through his mind. Yes, he had planned on having that kind of happiness with Link, but he had to face the cold, hard facts: it was entirely possible that Link no longer wanted him. However, having thought his situation over very carefully that morning, he had come to what he saw to be the only mature decision: he had to get in touch with Link. The problem, as he saw it, with getting back in contact with Link was that if he just showed up at his front door, he ran the risk of having that door slammed in his face. Or, even worse, Adrian answering said door. The desire he felt to be back in London with Link, sorting this mess out, was mingling with the fear he felt over discovering Link truly no longer wanted him in his life and it was triggering his fight or flight reflex. Having absolutely nothing to actually run from – as he had already done the running, his conscience reminded him – he had decided he had to fight. The cold, hard lump of misery in his stomach was not going to dissipate by itself and he had been working on turning those feelings into sharply focussed anger. It had taken all of his concentration that morning to focus enough of his energy to apply his Occlumency skills to repressing the waves of misery that had flowed through him, but he had managed it and had begun channelling that negative energy to another purpose: anger directed straight at Adrian. If there was even the slightest chance that Link still wanted him in any way, then he would fight against Adrian as hard as possible. He would not just sit sulking in his rooms at Hogwarts, lost in his memories of their time spent together; for once in his life, Draco would fight for what was his without having the threat of death hovering over his head as incentive. Although, he considered, he still did not have the guts to do it in person just yet. He did not want to run the risk of the floo, as it might be closed to him, so the only other avenue he saw was by letter. It felt like the coward’s way out, but what else had he proven himself? The sound of the door closing on the other side of the room jolted him out of his thoughts, preventing him from going down a road he did not wish to examine, and he turned to see he had been left alone in the room with Potter.

“Malfoy.”

The strong determination was even more present on Potter’s face than it had been just a minute before, causing Draco’s muscles to tense. His fingers twitched with the need to have his wand – which he had stored back up his sleeve – back in his hand. It was more of a safety blanket for him when in Potter’s presence than anything else: an old habit that he had no desire to break.

“Potter.” Draco held a hand up to prevent Potter from speaking again. “Can you – can _we_ – just back up a little? I’m not in the habit of hexing unborn children, no matter what the _Prophet_ says and don’t fancy the idea of a duel I cannot fight back in, so can I just get some breathing room here?”

Surprise rippled through him beneath the rest of the confusing mess of emotions as Potter raised his hands and backed off. He did not allow himself to turn his back on Draco – which Draco took as a vaguely insulting victory – but he did back off, which is all Draco had been hoping for. The extra distance between them caused the small knot of tension in Draco’s stomach to begin to slowly unwind, helping him to breathe a lot easier. He knew that he had to separate his feelings over what had happened over the weekend from the tenuous civility that he had begun with Potter over the past few months, and the only way he saw to start was to cool down enough to be able to think clearly. Potter was _not_ Adrian: he had not been the one to steal Draco’s man. Therefore, it was not fair of Draco to take everything out on him, no matter how sorely he was tempted. Draco had no idea how long they stayed there in silence, with him pacing beneath the high windows at one end of the room in order to expend some of the excess energy, but by the time Potter broke the silence, he had managed to apply his Occlumency to the worst of the anger and misery coursing through him.

“This has to be one of the most awkward situations I’ve ever been in.” Potter’s voice was dry; almost sarcastic, but not quite. “And I had to suffer through Ron and Lavender’s ‘relationship’ in sixth year.”

“Wouldn’t Granger have helped there?” Draco had not intended to ask what had immediately come to his mind, but it seemed to nearly have broken the icy wall between them: Potter relaxed back against the chair he was leaning on as he reminisced.

“Well, considering ‘Granger’ had a massive crush on Ron at the time, that would definitely be a _no_.” His eyes sharpened as he shot Draco a suspicious look. “She’s a good person, you know. So are Ginny and the rest of my friends. I won’t stand for them to suffer just because you’re holding onto a childish grudge.”

Shame made itself known in Draco’s stomach at that and he ducked his head, so Potter would not see it. He knew for a fact that there was no way he would have cursed, hexed or otherwise threatened anyone who was going to be under his care, no matter how technical that care might be. The fact that Potter assumed that he would was what was turning his face a dull red: it seemed that the stigma of having been on the wrong side of the War was going to follow him around for quite a while.

“As much as you would obviously love the opposite to be true, I do not, in fact, enjoy the idea of torturing people.” Draco would have gone on, but was interrupted.

“I know.”

“What?” He could not prevent the snippy tone to his voice even if he had wanted to.

“I know you don’t like the idea of torture: I saw you during the War. The connection I had to Voldemort –” Draco flinched involuntarily and Potter rolled his eyes “– let me see what he was seeing sometimes. I saw him forcing you to Crucio Rowle after he lost us the night they took over the Ministry and how that affected you. No one who got off on the idea of doing that to another human being would look like they were about to faint as they were doing it.”

Draco merely stood where he was, staring unbelievingly at Potter after he finished his explanation. Everyone knew that Potter had been one of _his_ – as Draco had come to think of the Dark Lord – Horcruxes, but any kind of mental connection between the two had not been made public knowledge. The shock that had been creeping beneath the rest of his emotions started to make itself more prominently known as the realisation hit him that Potter – Harry – had just given out information like that to _him_ voluntarily. Maybe there was hope that they could work through this before the Feast began that night? Maybe they would be able to come out of that staffroom with the ability to display a level of politeness that would satisfy even Severus’s high standards?

He knew that no matter what their previous relationship, they had to learn to get along and to work closely with each other. Which, for him at least, meant letting go of a lifetime of family-bred prejudices and pretensions. His time with Link had put most of his prejudices about anyone who was not pure-blood to rest, but there were still niggling little things that he had to work on and he knew it. No matter his feelings towards his father right at that moment – who had once again voiced his displeasure at Draco working as a Professor that morning – Draco was a Malfoy, and there was a certain dignity to be upheld that came along with the name. He would not embarrass either himself or his family name by acting out his ‘childish grudges’, as Harry had so adroitly put it, on the students. It did not matter that he had been in the same year as some of them: McGonagall had had enough faith in him to hire him, and he would not let that faith down. Not this time, at least. Meeting Harry’s eyes, Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Thank you.”

“What?” It was Harry’s turn to sound completely confused.

“Thank you for not believing the worst about me straight away. You were right that I may still hold a bit of a grudge against Granger and the Weasley’s, but I refuse to allow that to change how I treat any of them as students. The fact that you can recognise that there’s even a little bit of a decent human being left in me after everything that happened during the War gives me a small amount of hope that I can make it through this without too much trouble from either the students or their parents.”

Now that he had voiced that concern, Draco had to acknowledge that it rang true: he had been quite worried that the students and their parents would cause him trouble due to his past. Pain shot through him as he realised that the only reason a lot of these seemingly sudden emotions were cropping up now would be due to the fact that they had been practically smothered by the contentment that he had been feeling whenever he was around Link. _Maybe it was getting close to the time we could have sealed the bond?_

“Oh, well then...” Harry glanced around the room, seemingly at a loss for words. “That’s er, that then, right? I have your word that you won’t cause trouble for my friends or any of the others?”

Draco eyed him for a few seconds, noting the twitching of his fingers that made it look as though he was anticipating something big; almost a nervous twitch. “Yes, you have my word.”

“Brilliant,” Harry breathed as he nearly jumped up off the chair he had been leaning back on. “Well, I’ve got to get back to Sev, so... I’ll see you at the Feast, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Draco responded to his retreating back, now thoroughly confused.

*~*

Excitement bubbled through Harry as he ran down through the castle. The bond had sealed; he could feel it. More to the point: he could feel _Sev_. He had spent Merlin-only-knows how long stuck in the staffroom with Draco with the connection to his mate growing in strength by the minute, but now that he was out, he _had_ to follow the irresistible urge to get back down to the dungeon rooms he shared with Sev. He hit the door of the classroom and sent it crashing open, only vaguely registering that there were some incredibly strong charms on it that he had simply broken with a touch. He pushed that thought aside to examine later as he pushed the second door to their rooms open and saw his mate sitting on the lounge, one of Madame Pomfrey’s books in his hand. Ignoring the slight feeling of surprise that was not his own, he ran across the room and landed on Sev’s lap, smothering him in kisses.

“I... can... feel... _everything_.” The words were broken up by kisses, as he seemed to be unable to keep his lips from his mate’s body. Lust shot through to him from Sev and he groaned, nibbling just below Sev’s ear.

“Harry,” Sev’s voice cracked and he paused to clear his throat, sending vibrations through Harry’s lips. “Harry, what do you mean?”

“It’s sealed, Sev, I can feel it. I can feel _you_.” The building desire – both his own and Sev’s – was causing Harry to harden swiftly and he rocked his hips, searching for friction as he leant back to look his mate in the eyes. “You’re confused, wary and... nervous? But there’s no need to be; I felt the bond seal earlier. That feeling I got from you, it did something, made something click in my mind. The connection didn’t happen straight away, but I can feel you, Sev, you’ve got to believe me.”

Harry could sense the desire from Sev intensifying by the second and so was frustrated by also sensing Sev attempt to smother that desire. “ _No_ , don’t fight me on this; I know I’m right.”

Sev’s hand rose to trace light touches along Harry’s jaw, causing him to shiver with delight. “You felt that? Truly?”

“Yes.”

Harry allowed his hips to rock forward again as he brought their lips together, enjoying the new sensation of Sev’s desire mingling with his. Sev let out a moan as he opened his mouth. The sound pulsed straight through Harry, who was solely focussed on the sensations running through him. He was so focussed, in fact, that it came as a bit of a shock when Sev wrapped his arms tightly around him and stood to carry him into the bedroom. Harry did not allow their lips to break apart until Sev laid him down on the bed.

Scrambling up to the top of the bed as Sev moved a few steps back to Vanish both of their robes, Harry settled himself against the pillows, unable to keep his hands from roaming all over his body. The light touch of his fingers along his torso caused Harry to let out a soft moan as he watched Sev release his wings with a sigh of relief. He stroked his fingernails up the thick vein on the underside of his cock as his mate opened his eyes to reveal that they had turned the shimmering silver that indicated to Harry that his Veela side was probably prompting his actions. However, he found he could not bring himself to care if Sev was being prompted to take action as he watched his graceful movements. Folding his wings around himself, Sev moved to stand on the end of the bed before spreading them wide again, displaying everything he had to offer. Harry’s eyes travelled hungrily up his mate’s body, taking in every perfect inch. The quick flicker of Sev’s tongue over his lips sent longing pulsing through Harry and he had to fight the urge to demand that Sev get down there and take him right that instant. Something in the back of Harry’s mind was telling him that this was an important part of the ritual they had started and that the ritual had to be followed. With that warning in mind, the only reaction Harry allowed himself was to spread his legs in invitation, causing Sev to smile.

Anticipation crept slowly through Harry’s veins as Sev moved to kneel between his legs, letting his wings drape over the edge of the bed. Expecting his mate to know that he really did not want any foreplay, Harry groaned as Sev planted his hands on the bed and began kissing his way along Harry’s jaw. Arching his back caused the friction he was craving as Sev continued to deny him. The only other source of relief he got was when Sev’s tongue dipped into his mouth, stealing most of the rational thought from him. Concentrating as he was on the tiny amount of stimulation he was receiving, it came as a bit of a shock when Sev reached down between them and spread his legs wide, giving him better access to Harry’s body. Harry’s fingers threaded through the feathers of Sev’s wings as soon as he felt himself breached by a long finger. Knowing that it would encourage him to move faster, Harry began to massage the join between his mate’s wings and was rewarded by a second finger much sooner than Sev would usually move. The thrusting of the fingers inside him was sending shocks of lust straight to Harry’s leaking cock, causing his hips to jerk erratically. He knew that Sev had to prepare him – knew that if he did not, then he would most likely be injured – but the waiting and build-up was going to kill him, he was sure of it. A third finger that immediately hooked to rub against his prostate had Harry arching off the bed and moaning loudly.

“Now please,” Harry’s breath was stolen from him as the fingers pressed deliberately against his prostate again. “Sev, please.”

“Soon, love, soon.”

Harry let out a quiet sound as he felt the hard heat of Sev’s cock rubbing against his entrance. The feeling of something pressing to the front of his mind distracted Harry momentarily and he almost did not register that Sev had pushed inside him until he realised he could not speak again. Held in place by the knowledge that he had to concentrate on sealing the bond properly, Harry could not reassure his mate as he closed his eyes and lay his head on Harry’s shoulder, sharp shocks of disappointment running down the bond. He knew that his silence would be disheartening for his mate, but he _had_ to obey the urgency coming through to him from his Elven side. In fact, the emotions running through to him from Sev were stunning in intensity: he had not realised that Sev had been so worried about the sealing of the bond before that second. He ran his hand through the long hair draped all around him the second he knew that his Elf was as prepared for this as possible. Meeting Sev’s eyes as he pushed himself up, Harry projected the strongest feeling of reassurance and belonging down the bond as he could muster, knowing instinctively that Sev would need it.

Harry smiled a little before closing his eyes and concentrating on bringing his Elven side forward. Allowing it to take over in order to seal the bond properly went against his instincts, but he knew it had to happen. It brought with it a wash of Elven bonding magic that Harry could feel settling around the both of them. Opening his eyes, he felt a mixture of shock and desire flood through to him from Sev, causing him to grin. The feeling of the magic surrounding them deepened as Harry concentrated, taking control over the bonding. The move turned the magic a bright green that settled comfortably around them. Knowing instinctively what to do, Harry turned his focus inwards and started the bonding properly, intoning a series of phrases in Latin that he did not understand.

“Duas animas in unum.  
Infragilis iugui.  
Aeternus amoris.  
Semper fidelis.”

The colour of the bonding magic deepened with each phrase, joining them together tighter and tighter. It swirled quickly – a green so deep that Harry thought it looked almost black – before settling over the both of them, focussing on a central point in their chests where the source of the bond lay in each. The second it stopped swirling and began to dissipate, Harry knew it had sealed properly. He could sense every single emotion coming down to him from Sev, the most prominent being the strongest surge of love he could imagine.

“Harry.”

Turning his focus back outwards at the gravelly sound of his mate’s voice – almost as though he was holding himself back by his weakening willpower alone – Harry reached to pull Sev into a deep kiss. It did not last long, as Sev pulled back to drag great gulps of air into his lungs.

“Talk to me, Harry. I need to hear you.”

“I love you. More than I ever thought possible. But I’m going to go insane if you don’t start moving right now.”

Harry’s words were punctuated by nips and kisses to every part of his mate he could reach in his current position beneath him. Soon enough he could not reach any part of Sev with his lips, as he was arching off the bed again as pleasure shot through him. Sev lowered his head to bite down on Harry’s collarbone as he began to thrust into him, moving faster and harder than he had in months. Harry groaned as his prostate was slammed into, causing stars to spark before his eyes.

“Sev, oh _fuck_... Yes... There, right there... C-can’t hold –” It sounded like gibberish to Harry, but Sev must have worked out what he meant, as he responded a few seconds later.

“Don’t hold on... Come for me.”

He reached down between them and grasped hold of Harry’s achingly hard cock, pumping him in time to his hips. The mix of emotions running through him was so strong Harry wondered briefly how the hell Sev had managed to hold on as long as he usually did if _this_ is what he felt every time they were together. Needing to see his mate’s eyes, Harry grabbed two handfuls of hair and dragged him up just as he tipped over the edge. The intense pulse of lust he got from Sev as he spilled over his mate’s hand and his own stomach stole Harry’s breath away. Sev did not last much longer than Harry this time: he let out a loud moan as he found his release a few seconds later.

Sev pulled out of Harry and landed on the bed beside him, but Harry was unwilling to let him go just yet. Pulling him back to rest on his chest, he wrapped himself as tightly around his mate as he could get. Needing to be as close to him as possible, Harry tucked Sev’s wings around them, enjoying the feeling of being surrounded by a solid wall of feathers. The powerful waves of relief over the sealing of the bond that he was getting from his mate caused Harry to wrap his arms tightly around his shuddering body.

“It’s ok, Sev. Let go, I’ve got you.”

Harry suspected that the shudders running through his mate’s body were not just from relief: he could feel him relaxing more than he had ever thought it was possible for Sev to relax. Taking the time to examine the new connection gave Harry time to compose himself as well as allowing Sev time to pull himself together. By the time Sev stopped trembling, he felt so at peace that Harry was almost hesitant to disturb him. However, he needed to make certain his mate was alright, despite knowing that emotionally he was fine. Brushing his hand gently through the hair framing Sev’s face, surprise flittered briefly through him at the strong sense of love he got down the bond. He swept his fingers across Sev’s cheek, wiping away the evidence of tears.

“ _Mine_.” He had no idea where the possessive feeling came from, but could not help expressing it once he felt it.

“Yes,” Sev responded, leaning up to cover Harry’s face in kisses. “I love you.”

Harry squirmed beneath the ticklish feeling of the light brushes of his mate’s lips. “I know,” he replied, grinning wide. “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Latin Translation:**  
>  Two souls in one.  
> Unbreakable bond.  
> Eternal love.  
> Always faithful.


	26. Chapter 26

_~~Link,~~ _

_~~Please don’t incinerate this without reading it.~~ _

Draco glared at the piece of parchment in front of him before scratching the words out and scrunching it up into a tiny ball. He flicked at it with his wand, smiling as it caught fire on its way to the fireplace, where it joined the growing ash pile. Having made the decision to attempt to get in touch with Link, Draco had spent the past hour wasting parchment with false starts and embarrassing phrases. He knew that since he knew Link so incredibly well – or at least, he had _thought_ he did – that writing a letter of apology to him should be easy. However, no matter how he phrased it, he simply could not get it right. Attempting to write this letter was a brilliant way of keeping himself occupied until he was meant to meet up with Severus, who was showing him what it was like to patrol the castle and grounds at night. McGonagall thought it best that he have a so-called mentor his first few nights out and Draco had not objected, as it gave him a reference point on how to act. Not that he thought he should be copying every single one of Severus’s mannerisms when it came to the way he treated the students, but he knew that with the amount of experience Severus had teaching, these few nights he spent with him would most likely turn out to be invaluable. He frowned as he realised the direction his thoughts had taken again; it seemed to him that he had been getting distracted very easily these past few days, his mind seeming to drift onto other topics incredibly quickly. Clearing his throat, he tried to focus solely on the letter in front of him.

_~~Dear Link,~~ _

“He’s not your great-Aunt, for Merlin’s sake,” he muttered to himself as he sent yet another piece of parchment towards the fireplace. “Why is this so bloody difficult; it’s not like I don’t know him.”

_~~Link,~~ _

_~~I’m sorry I ran; is it possible you could ever forgive me?~~ _

That one went flying towards the fire almost as soon as Draco had finished writing out the plea. Malfoys never begged, no matter badly they had fucked up, nor how much that fuck-up hurt.

_~~Lincoln,~~ _

_~~I feel I must take responsibility for our current situation.~~ _

“And now you sound like Father.”

He thunked his head down on the desk, allowing himself to feel the overwhelming waves of confusing emotions washing through him for a few seconds. There was no question in his mind that he loved Link and wanted him back, however, the doubt he felt over what he was currently attempting to do was preventing him from even getting started. What if Link truly did not want him anymore? What if he had never wanted him in the first place? What if he had, but Draco’s actions had broken that so completely that he never wanted to see him again? These were all questions that had been running through his mind over the three days since Link had been claimed and he was no nearer answering them now than he had been when they had first cropped up. He scrubbed a hand over his eyes as he lifted his head and re-focussed on the parchment.

_~~Link,~~ _

_~~We both did and said regrettable things on Sunday night, but I have been hoping that we could move past what happened and start new.~~ _

“No; no accusations,” he murmured as he discarded the parchment. He knew instinctively that that was an incredibly bad idea: it would either anger Link even further, or make him feel guilty and Draco did not want Link to come back to him out of pity or guilt.

_Link,_

_I know how tempting it must be for you to simply ignore me at this point in time, and I really wouldn’t blame you for it, but I have to ask you to hear me out. I’m sorry. For not staying that night, for not returning to check how you are; basically I’m sorry for being the coward I was raised to be._

He stared down at the words, swallowing hard as a fresh wave of pain and regret crashed through him. They hurt, but he knew they were true: he was a coward and always had been. If he had been stronger, he would have stayed and fought for what was his. But no, he had done what was apparently bred into his genetics: taken the wrong road and fucked things up.

_I imagine that there is really nothing I can say that would make things between us any better, as I have no other explanation as to why things went the way they did on Sunday night. I’m not going to ask you to take me back – as I know you most likely don’t want to – I only ask that you consider writing back to me. ~~I need to know that he’s treating you as you deserve. I need to know that you’re safe and happy.~~_

He quickly scrubbed that last part out, thinking it too forward. There was no telling how Link would react to words like that, if he even made it that far into the letter. Besides that, he knew the last part was complete bullshit: yes, he needed to know Link was happy, but he also needed that happiness to be caused by him, not by Adrian.

_Everything happened so quickly on Sunday that it was a little overwhelming. I don’t know if you wanted to hear from me again, and certain of your actions indicated you very well might not, but I had to try at least._

He smiled at that phrase; it was not quite an accusation, but it also alluded to the anger that had flashed across Link’s face as he held Draco pinned to the bar, his arm across Draco’s chest. It had appeared as though the very sight of Draco had disgusted Link until right at the end, when the slight trance the claiming had cast over him was wearing off. If he was remembering correctly, then Link had even attempted to stop him from leaving, but by that time, Draco had been determined to go. His free hand came up to absentmindedly rub along his chest where Link had held him. It did not hurt at all – it had not even bruised, which Draco found strange, as he tended to bruise easily – but he was not quite willing to just let it go: he had to know why Link’s instinct was to resort to getting physical with him and if it would ever happen again if they managed to work things out. 

_I recognise that you’re under no obligation to make me feel any better over my own actions at all, but my request to hear from you is genuine._

Looking at that last sentence, he knew that the Link he had known – the man he had fallen in love with – would also need some reassurance over things Draco had said on Sunday; specifically, Draco telling him to never touch him again. The words had been said in anger, but Draco had aimed them incredibly well: if Link’s Elven heritage was anything like a Veela heritage, then being told something like that by someone he had expected to bond with would have messed with Link’s head enough that it had the potential to affect him for months.

_~~Yours,~~ _

_Looking forward to hearing from you soon,_

_Draco._

He knew instinctively that claiming the privilege of being Link’s was a bad idea. It was actually a natural way for him to sign a letter off, but when all the circumstances were taken into consideration, he thought it prudent to just sign his name instead. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he read what he had written over again. It was short, but conveyed exactly what he needed it to: he wanted to be back in touch with Link, even if it was only by letter. Taking out a fresh piece of expensive parchment he had brought with him from the Manor, he set to copying it out without the scratched-out parts.

*~*

_Five days._

Lincoln shook his head as his thoughts strayed to Draco yet again. It had been five days since he had basically chased Draco out of his life and he was feeling every second of it. Five days had passed since he had been claimed and Draco had not contacted him in any way, not even to accuse him of cheating. There had been no firecalls, no letters and no reports of people seeing Draco lurking in the shadows of the hospital. Five. Bloody. Days. He knew that keeping track of just how long it had been since he had scared his mate off was unhealthy, but there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop himself. Being a Healer, he knew exactly what usually happened to Elves who did not have regular contact with their mates, but was unsure what the consequences would be in his case, as it was so unusual. The only thing preventing him from taking the initiative himself and contacting Draco at Hogwarts was the knowledge that if Draco rejected him to his face, he would be in danger of not surviving it.

Gwen had managed to get him to the clan Healer on Sunday night after he had realised that Draco had left him and they had been informed that due to how close they had been to being able to seal their bond, Lincoln had started to form a tentative bond with Draco. The Healer had seen only a handful of cases like his over the many years he had treated the Elves of his clan and had only ever known one way of resolving the problem: he had to have regular contact with both his mates if he wished the almost painful longing for one or the other of them to stop. The question of whether he could have contact with _both_ of his mates was what was keeping him awake late at night. The idea that Adrian could very well have been right had begun to pass through his mind just before he fell asleep each night, keeping him awake when he really should be trying to sleep. Adrian’s suggestion that after treating Draco the way he had on Sunday night, he did not deserve to have him back was eating away at Lincoln’s conscience. If Adrian _was_ right – and Draco’s snarled words telling him to never touch him again told him that Adrian was actually spot on – then he was stuck. The sickening reality of his situation was that he would spend the rest of his life pining after what he had lost with Draco and having to force himself to spend time with Adrian once a week to receive some kind of relief from that part of his bond. He knew it would never be possible for him to seal the bond with Adrian – hell, even _Adrian_ knew that – but if he did not want to start feeling the exact same way over Adrian as he currently did over Draco, then he had to at least keep up the contact.

“Lincoln, dear, is everything alright at home?”

He jumped at the soft question from Margaret – the team’s secretary – as he moved through the waiting room of the Children’s Trauma Ward towards his office. “Excuse me?”

“It’s just... Well, I haven’t seen your young man here recently and you’ve been incredibly quiet – even more so than usual, I mean – and looking a little down. I thought maybe...” she trailed off, looking at him with sympathy in her eyes.

Lincoln swallowed hard against the cold lump of grief that made itself known in his chest at her words. Unable to face the sympathy in her eyes, he ducked his head to scrub a hand along the back of his neck. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he let it out slowly, flinching at how shaky it sounded. If he could not even hold himself together when asked something so innocent by a woman he had known for years now, how the hell was he going to be able to stand Adrian’s continual jabs at his misery over losing Draco?

“He’s not mine anymore.” He shifted his weight, feeling more awkward than he ever had in Margaret’s presence before. “We broke up over the weekend.”

Lincoln jumped for the second time in as many minutes as Margaret silently moved out of her chair and scooped him into a hug. She was a few inches shorter than him and smelt strongly of the musty scent his grandmother used to wear. Relaxing slightly caused her to tighten her grip around his waist before stepping back to pin him with a concerned look.

“Only one thing to cure a broken heart, dear: tea and cake. Off you go,” she swatted at him to get him to move off towards his office again. “I’ll bring it to your office.”

Shaking his head as he obeyed her command, Lincoln had to smile. He had no idea what it was with tea apparently being the cure-all solution to everything, but at times like this, it seemed that the world would be a much better place if only they gave it a try. Gradually making his way through the winding passage to his office, he slowly became aware of a growing presence in the back of his mind. _Adrian_ , his senses provided and he had to bite back a groan. He had not expected to have to deal with him until tomorrow or even Sunday and his insides felt as though they were sinking accordingly. Knowing that Adrian would have started to sense him at the same time, he kept moving, albeit slightly more reluctantly than a few seconds previously. He pushed the door to his office open silently to see Adrian tucking what appeared to be a letter written on very expensive parchment into the pocket inside his robes.

“Resorting to stealing my mail already, huh?” Lincoln moved into the room, carefully avoiding getting within touching distance of Adrian.

“Please,” Adrian scoffed, shooting him a disdainful glance. “I’m a busy man; I had to fit _you_ in somewhere, so the time when I usually respond to my own mail had to be sacrificed.”

Lincoln fought hard to keep his expression neutral in the face of knowing that he was merely an afterthought to the man who was supposed to be his mate. The letter Adrian had tucked into his robes was swiftly forgotten as Lincoln realised that if he could just get this weekly ‘visit’ over with, he would have the entire weekend free to do what he wished. He opened his mouth to say so, but unfortunately, Adrian beat him to it.

“You look like shit; you need to shave,” he sneered, running his eyes up and down Lincoln’s body. “Don’t you even care if you make a bad impression on the man you’re going to spend the rest of your life with?”

Pain jabbed through Lincoln’s chest at that jibe and he closed his eyes in order to hide it from Adrian. His hand came up to run along the stubble he had allowed to grow over the past few days, the thought that no, he really did not give a shit if he made a good impression on Adrian or not running through his mind. He knew exactly how he looked: like he had driven away the love of his life, his true mate. The bags under his eyes seemed to him as though they had taken up permanent residence and his hair hung lank, almost as though it had given up a little sooner than Lincoln had. He shook his head to clear the thoughts and refocussed on the disappointing excuse for a mate currently sitting on the edge of his desk. Steeling himself for what he was about to do, he took another deep breath – this one actually managing to calm him a little – and released it slowly. Moving closer to the front of the desk where Adrian sat, he held out his hand.

“Come on, get it over with,” he grumbled when Adrian merely sat and stared at him.

Being in Adrian’s presence would help to fulfil the requirements of the bond, but Lincoln knew that physical contact would speed up the process and allow him to get rid of the smug bastard that much faster. The urgent tug that Lincoln was feeling towards Adrian receded rapidly the second Adrian placed his hand in Lincoln’s. The sensation of his Elven side partially calming down helped to ease Lincoln’s mind over knowing what Adrian really thought of him, reminding him that he had never sought his approval.

Moving swiftly around the desk so he could sit caused Adrian to slide off the desk with a scowl and Lincoln had to bite back a grin. His dominant protective instincts would never allow him to hurt Adrian in any way, but he would take as much pleasure in annoying the hell out of him as he could. Shuffling through his mail one-handed, he felt disappointment creep through him. He had been avoiding reading the mail that came into the office in case there was no letter from Draco and it seemed to him that his suspicions had been correct: no letter written in Draco’s elegant hand was sitting among the request and leave forms. He flopped back against the back of the chair, letting out a huge sigh as his free hand came up to scrub across his eyes.

_Five days and counting._

*~*

_Draco stood in the doorway that led from the parlour out into the atrium of Malfoy Manor. The grand marble staircase stretched upwards before him with The Dark Lord standing halfway up it, but that was not who Draco’s attention was riveted on, dangerous as that was. Scabior and his team of dogs had managed to capture a group of people worthy of being seen by The Dark Lord himself. Draco’s hands clenched by his sides in an attempt to stop the trembling that seemed to be coming from the very core of him, although he did not know why. Taking a few tentative steps closer allowed him to get a quick glimpse of a pointed ear before the movement of bodies surrounding the prisoners blocked his view again._

_“Ah, Draco,” he barely stopped himself from flinching at the sound of The Dark Lord’s hissing, high-pitched voice. “So good to see you back out in the land of the living.”_

_The assembled Death Eaters tittered, despite the fact that the ‘joke’ was about as unfunny as Draco had ever heard. Ignoring the urge to run back into the much safer parlour, he managed a weak smile, his eyes still glued to the moving mass of bodies surrounding the latest catch. There was something about the people that had been captured – something about that quick glimpse of a pointed ear – that had dread forming in Draco’s stomach, cold and hard. Surely Link was still safe at work at St. Mungo’s? Surely he could not be part of the group in front of him? There were many Elves out there in the community, he knew that, but he could not shake the feeling that he would know some of this particular group. Another quick glimpse of the prisoners as their guards moved around them combined with the flash of a pair of glowing blue eyes nearly caused his heart to stop altogether._

_“No,” he whispered, stepping forward quickly._

_“What’s wrong, Draco? Recognise someone?” The taunting voice of his batshit insane Aunt Bellatrix almost passed straight over him as he made a desperate attempt to see just who it was they had managed to catch. “A special someone, maybe?”_

_Bellatrix moved aside as Draco reached her, allowing him to get a quick look at the group of captured Wood Elves before grabbing him around the waist, not allowing him any closer. He immediately recognised the glowing blue eyes he had glimpsed earlier, in combination with a mass of dark blond dreadlocks. Bellatrix let out a crazy cackle as he struggled, knowing that he had to get to his lover, had to save him from the clutches of the werewolves currently advancing on him._

_“Is this him then?” Scabior stood with his back to Draco, staring down at the group of prisoners. “Not much of a looker, is he?”_

_The arm circling Draco’s waist tightened, the other coming up to grab a handful of his hair to hold him in place as Scabior grabbed Link out of the group. Draco’s heart skipped a beat out of pure terror then tried to make up for it by racing in double time as Scabior turned around. Bruised and battered, the only features that made the man before him recognisable as being the one Draco had fallen for were the glowing deep blue eyes and the – currently blood-soaked – dark blond dreadlocks._

_“I’m sorry, Dray.” Link’s voice was rough, but identifiable as his anyway. “I’m sorry.”_

_Struggling against the grip his Aunt had on him, Draco managed to break away with an unintelligible yell just as the world flashed green._

The scream continued as he sat bolt upright in bed, his skin clammy with sweat and his breath coming in harsh gasps. His hand reached over to Link’s side of the bed, searching out the comfort of knowing that he was safe before reality hit him: he was alone. Unguarded as he was, the pain that lashed him at the realisation felt like it was scraping sandpaper over his raw nerves. His chest heaved as he flipped over onto his stomach, pounding a fist down into the mattress in frustrated anger at himself. The nightmares had returned that week and each and every one of them had involved Link in some way. Draco had no idea how to stop them – short of becoming dangerously dependant on Dreamless Sleep – but he was unsure if he even wanted them to stop. As sick as it was, some of the dreams started out nice and he was unwilling to give that part of them up, despite the amount of times they ended in horror.

Rolling over onto his back when he had expended some of the adrenalin the nightmare had caused to rush through his veins, Draco took deep breaths, willing his heart rate to slow. It was Sunday night and he had class in the morning, so he knew he had to get some sleep. It would not do to appear at work with bags under his eyes, struggling to stay awake.

_Sunday night..._

He sighed as remorse washed through him, causing his chest to ache. He had sent the letter off to Link on Wednesday, four days previously, and received no response. The only logical conclusion he could come to was one that he really did _not_ wish to think about: Link truly no longer wanted anything to do with him. The train of thought that idea led him down was one he had gone over many times in the past week. If he could only answer some of the questions that floated through his mind... But no, he knew that no answers were coming, no matter how desperately he wished for them. The only thing he could really do was wait it out; wait for the pain to subside; wait until he had begun to forget it all a little, so he could look back on the good times they had had together without the haze of the recent pain that clouded every memory he had of Link. At least, that was what he told himself firmly as he lay back and began to attempt to apply his Occlumency skills to the torrent of unwanted emotions running through him. _All it will take is time._


	27. Chapter 27

Harry shivered as he leant in close to the bathroom mirror, rubbing a patch of mist off so he could see clearer. Sev apparently found it amusing that Harry preferred to shave the muggle way – with foam and a razor – but Harry thought it felt like a closer shave than when he used the shaving charms he had been taught in his fifth year. His thoughts drifted, as they had a habit of doing, over Sev and the small differences the sealing of Harry’s side of the bond had wrought in their relationship over the past fortnight as the razor scraped along his jaw.

He had not found it particularly difficult to adjust to knowing exactly what Sev was feeling, but the steady awareness of how much Sev loved him had had Harry riding high on a wave of happiness ever since the bond had sealed. The technical knowledge of Sev’s love for him had been in the back of his mind for a little over a month now and he had felt flashes of it down the half-sealed bond, but the sensations he got from the fully sealed bond were so much more than he had ever imagined. Stepping back a little after he had washed the residual foam from his face, he moved to stand in the doorway between the bathroom and bedroom, staring at his sleeping mate.

_Trust; who would have thought it would all come down to trust? And why that one moment; why was it so different to any other moment in time between us?_

Harry had gone over and over that moment in his mind, trying to work out just what was significant enough about it to have allowed the bond to start to seal. Sev had discovered an article in the back of one of the books he had been searching through that explained that in order to seal the bond, there had to be a moment of complete trust and understanding between the two of them, but Harry was at a loss to explain why it had happened right then. Smiling as Sev rolled over onto his back, Harry decided to go straight to the source. Climbing onto the end of the bed, he crawled slowly up towards where Sev lay, making certain to put just enough pressure on the bed so Sev knew he was there.

“Hmm, morning.”

Sev’s voice was heavy with sleep as Harry moved up the bed to place a chaste kiss on his lips. His hands found their way straight down to grasp Harry’s arse, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding warmly over Harry’s lips in a request for entrance. Allowing Sev his fun for a few seconds, Harry reluctantly pulled back a little to rest his forehead against Sev’s.

“Tell me.”

Harry smiled at the soft request. His mate had a habit of cutting straight to the point without any kind of build-up like most people, so Harry knew that the request was genuine. Sev would have known the second he was awake that something other than sex was on Harry’s mind – as he was so used to sorting through the emotions he received through the bond – and had moved to discover what was bothering Harry straight away. Harry allowed his eyes to slide shut for a few seconds, enjoying the sensation of warmth that pooled in his stomach as the knowledge of his mate’s care for him caused his Elven side to send shocks of pleasure through him.

“The bond,” he whispered after a few seconds. “Do you know exactly what it was about that very second that was so different to any other time? Why did it start to seal back in the staffroom?”

Harry could not prevent the small smile that crossed his lips as he watched Sev fall into thought, a tiny crease forming between his eyes as he considered Harry’s question. Sitting back to give Sev some space, Harry ran his eyes over his mate, taking in the scars that traced down his torso. Pride swelled in his chest at the thought of how incredibly brave his mate was, knowing that there was no one else in the world who had managed to snare a mate like his. Allowing his eyes to travel up Sev’s stomach and chest slowly, Harry smiled properly as he caught a glance at the responding smile he received from Sev.

“I believe it had much to do with that feeling right there.” Sev’s voice was low, but rang out clear enough that Harry heard him easily. “The knowledge of just how much this bond means to you – of how much _I_ mean to you – helped me to come around much faster than I normally would have under different circumstances. The fact that your loyalty to me never once wavered, even when I treated you like shit, proved to me that you have more than earned the trust I have placed in you.”

Harry could only sit and stare down at Sev for a few seconds, taking in what he had just been told. He had earned Sev’s trust back, all on his own, simply by... what? Loving him? Attempting to treat him the way he deserved? Making sure he was well looked after and happy? His brow furrowed as confusion rushed through him at an incredible pace. A raise of an eyebrow was Sev’s only reaction, allowing Harry to respond in his own time.

“So... you love me.”

“Indeed.” There was a definite undercurrent of amusement to Sev’s deep voice.

“And you trust me.”

“Completely.”

“All because I was nice to you and treated you the _exact_ way anyone in a relationship should expect to be treated?” Harry’s confusion crested at the unexpected grin Sev shot him.

“ _I_ did not expect to be treated that way –”

“Why the hell not?” Harry could not help interrupting as indignation burned brightly in his chest. “Why wouldn’t I treat _my mate_ – the man I love – with the same amount of respect as I would anyone else I might have happened to have had a relationship with?”

Harry was unable to prevent a small gasp from escaping as Sev grabbed him and flipped them over, pinning him quite effectively to the bed. The fire that burned in Sev’s eyes as he stared down at Harry for a few seconds stole the rest of Harry’s breath away, leaving him feeling slightly lightheaded as Sev leant in to place a soft kiss on his lips. Forcing himself to focus on the emotions he was receiving instead of the physical pleasure, Harry was surprised to be able to tell the difference between the possessive sensations coming straight from Sev’s Veela and the sharp shocks of pleasure coming from Sev himself.

“I love you.” The simple statement said in Sev’s lust-roughened voice sent Harry’s insides trembling with need. “Partially because you treat me as a human being and partially because of everything you have willingly given me over the past few months.” One long-fingered hand traced lightly over the swell of Harry’s belly at this, causing him to shiver. “However, the foremost reason is simply because you love me. Before you, no one had ever felt the need to show that they cared in any kind of way, physical or otherwise. The reason the bond began to seal in the staffroom that day is because that was the second everything fell into place for me. For the first time in many long years, I was completely content and happy, and I had the love of a man I loved and trusted above anyone else. Everything clicked together in that one second and I believe that that is what triggered the bonding magic.”

Harry stared up at his mate, smiling as he raised a hand to brush along the length of Sev’s jaw. “I love you.”

“Would you care to demonstrate that, Mister Potter?”

Harry laughed into the kiss Sev placed onto his lips, pleasure shooting through him as he settled in for a morning spent in bed with his mate.

*~*

Draco breathed deeply, taking in the scents of different herbs and spices coming from the Apothecary in front of him. Hogwarts Professors apparently got one day a fortnight when they were allowed off-grounds to do whatever it was they wanted and Draco had taken his day to go collect some potions ingredients he needed in Diagon Alley. He knew he simply could have asked Severus to brew what he needed, but he really liked the idea of being able to do something like that for himself. Unfortunately, he had left all of his potions ingredients back in his suite in the Manor and he was unwilling to risk going back there to collect them, as it meant he would most likely run into his father and have to put up with a lecture on why his choice of profession was the wrong one once again. His attention was grabbed by a box in the front of the Apothecary that held a collection of dried bat’s wings and he frowned, trying to decide if they were worth the price the shop was charging.

“Hey, Liam is that...”

“Dray!”

Draco’s stomach dropped down into his shoes at the sound of the high-pitched squeal from behind him: there were only a handful of people in the world who called him that and they were all related to Link. Dread washed through him at the thought that maybe Link was with his nephews, but he turned around anyway, mustering a fake smile as the boys ran up to him. He knelt down so that he was on their level and was shocked when Liam ran straight into his arms in a childish display of cluelessness. Dylan, on the other hand, stood back, his arms crossed in front of him.

“Why aren’t you making Uncle Link feel any better?” The accusation in Dylan’s voice and face would normally have amused Draco, but the words cut straight through him as he released Liam and met Dylan’s eyes. “He’s been really sad and that other guy’s a real dick.”

“Dylan O’Donnell, how _dare_ you use language like that!” Gwen stormed up behind Dylan, who scrunched his face up in apparent disappointment.

“You can’t fault the kid for being right, Gwen,” Draco could not help telling her as he stood to meet her on level ground.

“Don’t encourage him,” she snapped back at him without meeting his eyes. “You two, go find your father. I need to have a word with Draco.”

Draco watched with dismay that almost matched Dylan’s as he saw the only things preventing Gwen from yelling at him in public run off to find their father. Apprehension caused his stomach to clench as Gwen turned to face him, determination shining brightly in her eyes. Draco backed off automatically as she advanced on him, not knowing what she was about to do. They ended up in an alley that ran beside the Apothecary, with Draco backing into a wall, wishing desperately that he had simply braved the interrogation by his father instead of coming to Diagon.

“You lied to me,” Gwen stated the second Draco’s back came into contact with the brick wall behind him, making the route past her his only means of quick escape. “You promised me you wouldn’t hurt him that day in Fortescue’s and you _lied_.”

Draco could feel his eyes widening with indignation at the unfair accusation. “Circumstances were a little different back then and you know it,” he snarled, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. “That was before he apparently realised that Adrian was the one thing missing in his life, the one thing that would make everything perfect.”

“Oh, come on, Draco; I know you’re not that stupid. Link loves you and you just left! You broke my brother and now you’re trying to push the blame onto Adrian? Yes, he might be a complete and utter dick, but we can’t help who we get chosen by –”

“No, but what he could have helped was how he chose to react to being chosen,” a fortnight’s worth of hurt, confusion and anger was swiftly rising to the surface of Draco’s mind as his hands clenched by his sides. “He didn’t have to push me away like he did, he didn’t have to allow Adrian to speak to me like he did and he _didn’t_ have to get physical with me. Lincoln _chose_ to both do and allow those things to happen; it wasn’t the same for Potter, it wasn’t the same for Severus, it was just him and the choices he made.”

Gwen stared at him for a few seconds – her deep blue eyes flashing with an anger that seemed to match his – before she shook her head sadly, seeming to deflate slightly. “He reacted the way he did because some of his instincts were telling him that _you_ had claimed him –”

“Oh, don’t give me that shit. He knew who I was and _where_ I was the entire time. There’s too much difference between me and Adrian for anyone to make that kind of mistake.” Now that he had got going, there was nothing he could do to stop the torrent of words that continued to stream out of him. “I even tried to get in touch with him a few days after, but he ignored me! I can take a hint when it’s thrown in my face like that, Gwen. He doesn’t want me, he doesn’t love me and he probably never did.”

With this, he turned and stalked off further down the alley, needing to create some space between them. He had thought he might feel a little better after he had voiced his fears to someone else, but all he felt right at that moment was slightly sick. Trailing his hand along the brick wall to his left, he slowed to a stop a few steps away from Gwen, taking deep breaths in an attempt to clamp down on the anger that coursed through him. It was not Gwen’s fault that he and Link had broken up the way they had and he was not going to resort to taking everything out on her, especially in public as they were.

“What do you mean you tried to get in touch with him?” Gwen’s voice was soft, but Draco had no problem hearing the curiosity lacing through it.

“I sent him a letter a few days after he had been claimed,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “But he must have either ignored it, or thrown it out or something like that, because I didn’t get a response, not even to tell me to not contact him again.”

“He would have told me if he’d gotten a letter from you...” The confusion now in her voice forced Draco to turn and eye her with scepticism.

“What makes you think he didn’t just chuck it?”

Sighing as she pinched the bridge of her nose, Gwen looked him up and down thoughtfully as though measuring how much she could tell him. What she saw must have told her what she needed, as she gave him a sad look before speaking.

“He loves you; he would have told me about any letter he received from you because he would have been unable to keep it to himself. You do realise that he considers you his true mate, right? You were there before Adrian, you actually _want_ him; you may even love him, if he’s right. Do you know what could potentially happen to Wood Elves if they don’t have contact with their mate?”

“I didn’t reject him,” Draco was quick to point out. He knew from speaking to his mother over the years what happened to a Veela who had been rejected by their mate and assumed it was the same for anyone with a creature Inheritance.

“No, but you did tell him never to touch you again and for someone with an Inheritance...” She left the sentence open, allowing Draco to draw his own conclusions.

Having to repress a groan as he slid down the brick wall behind him, Draco gripped his hair in his hands as he curled into himself on the dirty alley ground. He brought his knees up to rest his elbows on, but other than that, he stayed perfectly still, willing himself to not care, willing the feelings away. Unfortunately, they refused to be stifled, forcing him to feel all the pain and guilt he was sure Gwen had been aiming at making him feel.

“How is he?” He winced as he heard the guilt threading thickly through his voice.

A gusty sigh and a shuffle of a step were the only warnings he had before Gwen sank down onto the ground beside him. “Miserable, withdrawn and resorting to overworking to distract himself. He loves you and I’d say he’s feeling the same amount of guilt over what happened as you are now. He needs you, or at least, he needs to see you the same way he sees Adrian at the moment.”

“Are you absolutely certain?” Draco turned his head a little so he could see her eyes. “I’m not going through all of this again only to find out I’m right and he actually doesn’t want me anymore.”

He received another assessing glance before she spoke again. “Leave it to me.”

Draco was too wrung out to force himself to follow her to demand to know what she meant as she stood and made her way back out into Diagon Alley. All of the anger that had been keeping him going seemed to have drained out of him in the past few minutes, leaving him feeling slightly empty as he watched Gwen disappear into the crowd. Heaving himself to his feet a few minutes later, he decided that the only thing he could do was trust her and wait.

*~*

“Where the _fuck_ are you Adrian?”

Lincoln stormed through the door to the potions lab in the Newcastle Wood Elf clan, completely ignoring the glares he received from the others as he searched out the man who had ruined his relationship. Gwen had arrived at Lincoln’s flat roughly half an hour ago with the news that she had spoken to Draco in Diagon Alley and had immediately told him everything that had transpired between them. Needless to say, Lincoln was not happy. Slamming another door open, he caught a glimpse of Adrian’s curly brown hair bent over a cauldron across the room and made a beeline for him. The anger coursing through his veins was causing his pulse to pound in his ears, making it difficult to hear everything that was going on around him.

“Yes, but if you add – Hey, what the...?” Adrian grunted in pain as Lincoln grabbed him by the collar and shoved him roughly back against the wall of the lab. “Get off me, you psychopath!”

Lincoln snarled as he pinned Adrian’s shoulders to the wall, leaning in close enough to him so he could almost count his eyelashes. “I know what you did, you worthless waste of space. That letter wasn’t yours –”

Lincoln’s words were cut off as Adrian shoved back, catching him just off-balance enough that he stumbled backwards. “The letter’s long gone. You don’t get to cheat on me with the disgusting half-breed; you’re mine and I _won’t_ tolerate that shit.”

“It’s not cheating, when are you going to get that through your thick head? I’m _not_ in a relationship with you and I _never_ will be. If you hadn’t claimed me, I could have quite happily lived the rest of my life never seeing you again,” Lincoln gave his Elven side free reign as it pressed to the forefront of his mind, demanding to be allowed to express his dislike of the way his mate had treated him. “You knew for almost three months before you claimed me that I was in a relationship with Draco and I made certain that it was blatantly obvious that it ran deeper than just a summer fling to anyone who might have been watching. You _knew_ and you still made certain to separate us.”

In the time Lincoln paused to gulp in a deep breath, he realised that someone must have called for security, as he felt his arm grabbed and a strongly muscled man stepped in front of him, blocking his view of Adrian. Lincoln had a good two inches on the other Elf – as he was taller than most full-blood Elves – but the man must have outweighed him by 20 kilos easily, if the broadness of his shoulders was anything to go by. Lincoln closed his eyes, allowing the security guard to push him back away from Adrian, using the time to get control over his anger once again.

“May I ask just what is going on here?” The feminine voice was commanding and strained with what sounded like strongly controlled anger.

“He attacked me, Catherine,” Adrian’s voice held a whine as he responded, obviously attempting to turn her against Lincoln before he had a chance to defend himself. “My own mate attacked me; just ask Lucy over there, she’ll tell you.”

Lincoln only just barely stopped himself from denying that he was Adrian’s mate, not needing the guilt of having accidentally rejected the bastard to weigh him down. Instead, he focussed on the measured tone to the newcomer’s voice; judging by the security guards she had arrived with, she must have been someone important in the clan.

“Your mate?” There was a definite tone of surprise that Lincoln caught before it was repressed swiftly. “I was unaware you had chosen, Adrian. Let him go.”

The last command must have been to the guard standing in front of Lincoln, as he backed off, not allowing Lincoln any view of Adrian, but far enough to give him some breathing room.

“Link? Lincoln Northam, right?” The sound of a second feminine voice – this one more familiar – caused Lincoln to glance over to the doorway. His eyes widened as he took in the form of the girl he had known as Lucy Ashtoncroft in school. “I haven’t seen you since school. _You’re_ the one Adrian chose?”

He watched as her eyes flickered over to where he knew Adrian stood behind the wall of muscle that was the second security guard. “I am, but there are certain things that he needs explaining to him before I can be convinced that he’s worth keeping.”

“Now, there is no need to threaten rejection here,” the strong voice of Catherine – who Lincoln now realised must have been Lucy’s mother, the Head of the Newcastle clan – rang out as she stepped into Lincoln’s eye line. “How about we all take a step back and calm down a bit before coming to any rash decisions?”

“I’m not rejecting him, but please allow me to explain.” He took a deep breath and leant back against the wall behind him as Catherine nodded silently. “Adrian claimed me two weeks ago. Prior to that, I had been in a relationship with a man who has enough Veela blood for me to be able to force a bond between us. We were a week away from being able to seal that bond when I was claimed. Being so close to the bonding, I had apparently begun to form the basis of the connection needed for us to be able to seal the bond. He’s as much my mate at this point as Adrian is, but Adrian has been working to keep us apart since he claimed me. It seems that he has even gone so far as to actually steal my mail in an attempt to keep me away from my mate. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to convince him to come back with the kind of damage Adrian has inflicted on our relationship.”

He had to pause here, pain shooting through his chest at the thought of never seeing Draco again. His eyes closed automatically and he raised a hand to scrub against them, blocking out the bright lights of the potions lab around him.

“Adrian, is this true?” Catherine’s voice was even more measured and controlled, which Lincoln had not thought possible.

Relief washed through him as he heard Adrian begin to stutter, giving himself away immediately. He kept his eyes closed, focussing instead on controlling his breathing in an attempt to calm his panicking Elf down. He had not voiced his fear that he would never see Draco again to anyone other than Gwen and even then it had been because she had forced it from him the night he had been claimed. It felt almost as though by acknowledging that fear, he had let it loose in his mind, encouraging his Elven side to run with it.

“Link?” Lucy’s hesitant voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him back to reality.

“Lucy,” he acknowledged her without opening his eyes.

They had been in the same year at school, but had not been friends, as they had both preferred to stick to friends from their own clans. He opened his eyes reluctantly when he received no further response, to see her staring at him with enough sympathy in her eyes to make his stomach clench with regret.

“Mum’s taken Adrian off with her; she’ll sort everything out, there’s no need to worry.” The confidence Lucy had in her mother’s ability to ‘sort Adrian out’ caused Lincoln to smile in spite of himself, which seemed to encourage her. “Would, ah, would you like a cuppa or something? While we wait to hear what’s going to happen here?”

_Tea again?_ Lincoln smiled at the thought as he followed along in Lucy’s wake. He had no idea what Catherine thought she could do about their situation, but figured anything she came up with had to be better than going on as he had been, slowly becoming consumed by the guilt he felt over the way things had ended with Draco. _Maybe she can at least get things sorted with Adrian. Then I could be free to focus on trying to resume contact with Draco._


	28. Chapter 28

Draco stared down at the three letters lying on the desk in his private chambers at Hogwarts, his mind completely blank. There had only been two when he had left to teach his afternoon classes after lunch that day: one from Mother and one from Father respectively. The third was written on muggle stationary and had his name scrawled in an almost illegible hand. It was this letter that held Draco frozen to the spot, his heart racing and hands trembling slightly. The handwriting was painfully familiar, but his mind rebelled at the thought that just one day after his encounter with Gwen, he would receive a letter from Link. It was not until an unfamiliar owl flew in through the open window of his chambers that Draco moved, ducking as it swooped over his head. The owl landed on the perch near the desk and held its leg out imperiously, eyeing Draco with what appeared to be disdain. Reaching tentatively out to take the parchment attached to the owl’s leg, Draco was shocked to feel relief rush through him at having something to distract him from staring at the new letter on his desk. The owl hopped down to grab a treat the second Draco had retrieved the parchment, then flew back out the window, ruffling his hair as it went. Sinking gratefully down into the chair behind the desk, he settled down to read the short note as he smoothed his hair absentmindedly with his free hand.

_Draco,_

_I went straight to Link’s flat as soon as we were finished in Diagon yesterday and told him everything you told me. He seemed to know something about a letter, but he Disapparated before I could get anything else out of him. It turns out that he went directly to Adrian’s clan and almost got himself arrested for assault._

Draco let out an involuntary snort at this as shock and amusement raced through him. Curling quietly beneath the surprise was an insistent thread of hope; hope that he had not been able to bring himself to let go of, even late at night when he had had himself convinced that he was going to spend the rest of his life alone.

_Considering he’s apparently willing to risk his precious career with an assault charge that would get him fired, I’d say a timely ‘I told you so’ might be in order. If I’m right about this, then you should expect to hear from him soon. I’m trusting you this time, so DON’T disappoint me._

_Gwen._

Adrenalin flooded through Draco’s veins as he grabbed at the letter on the desk. If Gwen was right, then this letter could quite possibly answer at least some of the nagging questions he still had over the way things had ended between he and Link. Not allowing a second of doubt to creep into his mind, he broke the seal – _a seal on muggle stationary?_ – and shook the letter out, closing his eyes for a few seconds in an attempt to calm his jittering nerves. A couple of deep breaths did nothing to slow his heart rate, not that he was really expecting them to. A couple more and he had to admit that he was stalling. Shaking his head at himself, he focussed on the paper in front of him as another jolt of adrenalin shot through him.

_Dray,_

_I’m sorry._

_I should never have laid hands on you. I shouldn’t have allowed Adrian to have that level of control over me. I should have been strong enough to stand up for you; to fight for you. I’m not expecting you to forgive me because I’m not certain I can forgive myself at this point. My instincts forced me into reacting to Adrian the way any dominant would react to their submissive, but that’s no excuse. All I can do is apologise and hope to hell that you can find it in yourself to forgive me one day._

_I spoke to Adrian yesterday..._

The breath Draco had not realised he had been holding whooshed out of him in a burst of shocked laughter. The differences between the two accounts of what had happened the day before were not really surprising to him, but the waves of relief crashing through him seemed to be enhancing everything else he was feeling, leaving the laughter sounding a little hysterical to his ears. His racing pulse began pounding in his ears as he gulped air, trying to compose himself enough to read the rest of the letter.

_I spoke to Adrian yesterday after Gwen told me she had run into you in Diagon and it came out that he had taken the letter you wrote to me. Unfortunately, since there’s no physical proof of anything, the Head of his clan said that he couldn’t technically be punished for it. However, after speaking to Gerard, the Head of my clan, they came to a conclusion they think is fair. We’ve both been placed under restrictions: he’s not to leave the Newcastle clan unaccompanied and I’m not to have any kind of contact with any Elf other than family. They said they’ll review the restrictions after the three months is over at the end of November to see if they can lift them without either one of us causing any more trouble._

_The other conclusion they came to was that we’re going to have supervised contact from now on, at least until the requisite three months is over. They all saw how volatile our interactions have become and Catherine – the Newcastle Head – apparently doesn’t want to lose her Head Healer. So from now on, we’re not allowed anywhere near each other unless there’s someone else in the room who is able to step in between us, just in case something else happens. That should make things much easier for me, because she also said that the meetings have to be held in a relatively public place, to reduce the chance of another ‘incident’, as she put it._

Draco had to stop reading at this point so he could sort through everything he had just read. Link had not only apologised, but it sounded like he had also pretty much declared his love for Draco in front of the man who had claimed him. The tiny trickle of hope that had been festering beneath everything blossomed out into full-fledged joy as the pieces finally fell into place. Gwen had said that Link considered Draco his true mate; Link had apparently stood up to Adrian in an attempt to have the freedom to get back in touch with him and had then proceeded to write shortly after that. It all added up to one conclusion in Draco’s mind: Link truly did love him and he would be a bloody fool to turn that down at this point.

_Adrian knows that I’m trying to re-establish contact with you and Catherine thinks that’s a really good idea. I would very much like to get back in touch with you properly, but I’ll leave the choice up to you. I’m almost afraid to hold onto the hope that I haven’t fucked things up so completely that you’ll never want to see me again, but that hope’s also something I need to keep me sane, so I’ll go ahead and apologise if any of this sounds sappy. I have, apparently, formed the basis of a bond with you, much the same as I have with Adrian right now. Ever since you found out about my heritage, my instincts have been screaming at me to treat you the way a submissive Elf would expect to be treated by their mate if they were to be together. I should have trusted those instincts, because now I’m not only stuck with a connection to a man I don’t even like, but I’ve also lost the best thing to ever happen to me. All I can bring myself to ask is that you consider keeping up contact with me the same way Adrian has to. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be physical contact; you just have to be in the same vicinity as me to help alleviate some of the pain of being separated from my mate._

_Ok, I just read that last part back and you know what? I’m not going to start again because it sounds like I’m desperate. The truth of the matter is this: I love you, I miss you and I want you back. Do with that information what you will._

_Yours,_

_Lincoln._

Draco was on his feet and just about to throw a handful of floo powder into the fire when his senses kicked in. He knew for a fact that he was stuck right there in the school at least until the weekend and he also knew that it was impossible for Link to come to him, as he had not gone to Hogwarts and therefore did not know the coordinates. A low growl rumbled up out of his chest as frustration thundered through him. _Why_ could this not have happened on a Friday when he could have had at least a small chance of being able to find someone to cover for him? There was only one avenue open to him right at that moment that he could see. Letting out a huff of irritation, he threw himself down into the chair again and drew a fresh piece of parchment towards him.

_Link,_

_Is this weekend too long to wait? I could probably swing a replacement a little earlier than that, but technically I’m not allowed off-grounds until Saturday at the earliest._

_I also have to apologise for my actions over the past fortnight. I knew exactly what I was doing when I told you not to touch me and regretted it almost immediately. It was an instinctual reaction brought on by a need to cause as much pain as I was in at that moment. I knew that you being claimed was a possibility, but for it to be Adrian_

Draco stared down at the parchment, frowning as he wondered if he should continue along that line. He knew that Link knew how much he had disliked Adrian before he had claimed Link, but was unsure if he should be putting those feelings down on paper. A quick glance back to the letter sitting on his desk made the decision for him.

_I’ll do you the same courtesy of not re-writing this because I wrote something that I’m not sure if I should have. However, I’ll also not finish that thought. You know my feelings on that subject, or at least are intelligent enough to make an educated guess._

_If I could take back the past fortnight I would, in a heartbeat. The way we left things has been haunting me; I never expected to fall so hard for someone in the short amount of time that it took with you. So there’s your answer to what I will do with that information: use it to my advantage. You can have me back any time you want because I love you and also want you back. I am curious as to how this will work with you being claimed, though. I was under the impression that there was a restriction on contact with previous partners?_

_Now, for the part that I know I really shouldn’t ask, but am going to anyway. Harry and Severus managed to seal Harry’s bond on their own. Severus told me that it all comes down to trust with Wood Elves; that you have to have a high level of trust to be able to seal the bond. So my question is: will it ever be possible for you to seal yours with Adrian? I know it isn’t at the moment, but at a point in the future, after this has all died down a bit, would it make things easier on you if the bond was sealed? Clearly I don’t know much about this kind of thing, but maybe it would ease the urge to see him as often as you have to, as you obviously don’t really want to._

_Looking forward to hearing from you again._

_Love,_

_Draco._

He stared down at the parchment for a few seconds before asserting all of his determination and sealing it. Rising from his chair, he made his way out to send it off with one of the school owls before that short burst of courage left him.

*~*

Harry was woken by the light touch of Sev’s lips trailing all over his face. Smiling as he was dragged out of his dreams, he opened his eyes slowly to meet the endless black depths that seemed to hold a slight twinkle as Sev hovered above him.

“Morning,” he mumbled as he raised his head, trying to capture Sev’s lips in a kiss.

However, it seemed as though his mate had other ideas. Drawing back as Harry sat up, Sev sat back on his heels, the twinkle in his eyes intensifying. One long-fingered hand reached up to draw the covers back away from Harry’s body as the other waved his wand through the air, casting a silent warming charm. Harry grinned as he realised that Sev was intending for them to spend a while in bed that morning. Relaxing back against his pillows, he raised a challenging eyebrow to his mate, who smiled wide in response.

“Hold on.”

“‘Hold on’? What do you mean?” Harry frowned, watching as Sev moved to the very end of the bed, taking the covers with him. “Oh... _Ohhh_.”

Harry arched up off the bed as Sev’s hands trailed lightly over the tops of his feet, causing tingles to shoot straight up his legs as his heels dug into the bed. It had been a while since Sev had made Harry put up with a slow build-up in the morning, mainly because they both usually had morning classes to prepare for. A quick glance over to the window showed Harry that Sev had woken him early, which caused desire to pool, hot and needy, in his stomach.

“Hold on, Potter,” Sev growled as he trailed his lips in the wake of his fingers on Harry’s feet.

Nodding his head rapidly, Harry threw himself down against the pillows, his eyes sliding shut as he focussed on the emotions rushing through him. He had never imagined that something as innocent as his feet or his calves could produce the sensations that Sev was currently drawing out of him. He attributed his newly-found sensitivity to two things: the sealing of his side of the bond and the massive waves of pregnancy hormones that were attempting to take over his life.

Having to force himself not to wriggle was a struggle as Sev’s hands moved slowly upwards to knead his calf muscles. Harry let his hand slide slowly down his body, skirting lightly over his swollen belly – _almost five months and I already look like I’m carrying half a bloody watermelon in there!_ – before it reached his rapidly hardening cock. A small sigh escaped him as his fingers trailed those light touches up his shaft, sending jolts of pleasure through him. The combination of Sev’s hands pulling unexpected pleasure out of him with his own hand stroking up his prick was beginning to make Harry’s head swim, but that was all halted as Sev let out a growl and grasped both of Harry’s hands.

“Which part of _hold on_ did you not understand, Potter?” The fire in Sev’s black eyes caused Harry to groan and squirm beneath him. “Perhaps I shall have to bind your hands, hmm?”

Harry’s mouth fell open in slight shock at just how enticing an idea that was, giving Sev the opportunity to slide his tongue in and over Harry’s teeth. His hands were still being held above his head in an iron grip, changing his mind fairly quickly on that last point. Sex with his mate was always brilliant, but being unable to touch him while he was slowly being driven crazy by Sev’s talented mouth was not a situation Harry found himself enjoying. Breaking apart from the kiss, Harry took a few deep breaths before responding.

“Please, Sev... Please...”

The quick rush of apprehension that flooded down to him through the bond had Harry frowning as Sev released his hands. He could sense Sev’s Veela forcing itself to the forefront of his mate’s mind and held his breath as he saw the change come over him. Sev’s hair lengthened, his eyes shifted to a shining silver and, after moving back down the bed a bit, his enormous blue-black wings spread out behind him, whooshing through the air in a wide sweep before settling down behind him.

“Harry,” Sev began, but Harry interrupted him.

“You’re beautiful, Sev,” he whispered as he moved to kneel in front of his mate, his legs folded beneath him. “Absolutely breathtaking.”

Gently running his fingers through the lengthened strands of Sev’s hair, Harry leant forward to press a light kiss to his lips. The emotions he was receiving down the bond were a confusing mess, making shuffling through them so he could offer some reassurance a difficulty. In the face of that little problem, he settled for showing his physical affection, as that meant he could also have some fun exploring Sev’s wings at the same time.

“Lie down.”

“Harry?”

There was still some sort of trepidation to the way Sev said his name and Harry could feel his creature forcing him to take the initiative. Moving so he sat behind Sev, he placed his hands on the point in between Sev’s shoulder blades where his wings met and pressed gently, smiling as a shiver rippled through his mate. He guided Sev down onto his stomach before sitting back on his heels and allowing himself a good look at the incredibly desirable sight before him. Sev’s wings, when spread as they were, fell off the sides of the bed to brush along the ground. He had been surprised the first time he had watched them stretching out from Sev’s shoulder blades, but had immediately realised that because of the tiny amount of Veela blood he possessed, they were one of the most attractive things about his mate. Leaning down, he brushed his lips along the join, trailing his hands along Sev’s sides at the same time. Sev groaned and writhed beneath him, seeming to not know if he wanted to arch his back into the hands slowly moving down towards his hips, or press up into the mouth that was now sucking gently on the incredibly sensitive spot between his shoulder blades.

“Harry... Gods that’s good...”

Harry grinned at the breathless tone to Sev’s voice as he began to lightly nip at the skin under his lips. This earned him another loud moan, this time accompanied by a jerk of Sev’s hips. Never allowing his lips to leave his mate’s shoulder blades, Harry worked one hand between Sev and the mattress to grasp hold of his cock, while the other reached down behind and began to stretch himself as quickly as he dared. Sev obligingly lifted his hips so Harry could move his hand along his hard length, but did not move any further than that, gasping and moaning deeply whenever Harry hit a particularly sensitive spot. When Harry let himself refocus on the bond, he realised everything else had cleared out of Sev’s mind until the only thing that he was feeling was a deep and aching need. Harry quickly turned his focus outwards again as that same need started to pool in his stomach, sending sharp jabs of desire to every nerve ending. He had to hold back a startled laugh as Sev seemingly gave up on keeping hold of his tightly held control and began thrusting into the hand Harry had stroking along his cock.

“Roll over,” he told his panting mate, then frowned when all he received in response was a groan of protest. “Roll over or you’ll be finishing in the shower by yourself.”

A wide grin crossed his lips as Sev began to grumble. Harry was sure he heard something along the lines of ‘as long as you join me’, but could not be 100% certain. The grin turned to a full-on smile when Sev sat up and positioned himself against the headboard, dragging Harry to straddle his lap.

“Is that a threat, Potter?” The menacing growl was somewhat belied by the almost desperate moving of Sev’s hands on Harry’s hips in an attempt to get the friction he obviously craved.

Moving Sev into position, Harry leant forward, delaying the moment Sev breached him for another few seconds. “What if it is?”

Letting out a grunt of frustration, Sev grabbed Harry’s hips properly and began to guide him downwards. Harry held his breath as he felt himself stretching around the intrusion; he was certain he had prepared himself enough, but was thankful for the slow pace anyway. He released it as soon as he was fully seated, opening his eyes slowly to see Sev staring at him with wonder in his silvery eyes. Caressing the swell of Harry’s belly, Sev offered up a small smile.

“I like this threat.”

Rolling his hips as much as was possible, Harry grinned at the moan it dragged out of his mate. He was about to reply, when Sev bucked his hips upwards, stealing the thought straight from him. Deciding that he agreed with Sev and that they should be moving right along, Harry raised himself until Sev was only just inside him and slammed down again. He knew he would have to do much of the work, due to the position, but that really did not worry him, as it meant he could control their pace; something he did not get to do all that often. Getting into his rhythm took a little repositioning, causing Harry to have to admit to himself that this would be the last time they would be able to pull off this particular position for a while, unless Sev was lying down completely. Still, he allowed himself to enjoy being able to watch the play of emotions on his mate’s face as he moved. Knowing that he was the only person in the world who had the privilege of seeing Sev so open always gave Harry that little bit of an extra thrill, speeding him along towards orgasm quickly. His hands rose up automatically to thread through the feathers closest to him as he felt himself getting closer and closer. Focussing on the small noises and half-sentences Sev was making told Harry that he was not the only one close to losing control totally. He squeezed his muscles as he rose up, causing Sev to buck upwards with a groan.

“Close... so close,” Sev panted.

He grabbed Harry’s hips again, moving him faster, thrusting his hips up to meet him halfway. Harry’s head fell back as he felt himself about to tip over the edge. It only took one well-timed thrust at his prostate for him to come apart completely, moaning loudly as his release spurted out over both of their stomachs. Sev continued to move Harry on top of him for a few seconds before he could hang on no longer. With one last erratic jerk of his hips, he slammed Harry down and let go, his whole body seeming to spasm as he filled Harry’s passage with hot jets of cum. Harry fell forward, claiming Sev’s lips in a sloppy kiss. Their breath and sweat mingled as Harry tried to compose himself enough to speak again.

“Love you, Sev,” he whispered when he was finally able, his eyes fluttering open to see Sev’s Veela retreating. Waiting until his mate had changed back to his regular self, Harry brushed a thumb along one of Sev’s prominent cheekbones. “Beautiful.”

Sev gave a small huff of breath, but no other reaction to Harry’s words. “Sleep now, love. We still have an hour before we have to be out of bed.”

Harry smiled as he felt himself being lifted and repositioned on the bed. A brush of Sev’s magic had them both clean again as Sev settled in behind him, one arm wrapped protectively across Harry’s belly. “Thank you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Thank you for not objecting to what I just said. I meant it...” Harry’s words were cut off by a huge yawn.

A swift rush of affection raced down the bond as Sev leant in to brush his lips behind Harry’s ear. “I love you, too.”


	29. Chapter 29

Rubbing his hands together to stave off the chill in the early morning September air, Draco found himself caught between incredible excitement and almost paralysing fear. He was currently making his way down into Hogsmeade, where he was to meet Link for the first time in three weeks, having managed to convince Sinistra to take over his Head of House duties for the full weekend. Merlin only knew what she was going to ask in return, but he could not worry about that yet. No matter which way that morning went, he wanted to have both days free, either to celebrate or to sulk.

His fingers toyed with the shrunken box in his pocket; he had brought the small black box that contained the birthday present he had decided against the previous month, just in case things went the way he badly wanted them to. His eyes scanned the street, searching for that familiar head of dark blond hair. They were to meet out the front of the Three Broomsticks – which was not in sight yet – but he was unable to stop looking. Nerves flittered through him as he got closer, causing his hands to clench by his sides and his heart to hammer in his throat. He froze completely as he rounded a corner and the pub came into view. Link was leaning against the side of the building, slouched against the wind that had picked up that morning, his head bowed so his hair fell in front of his face. He was clad neck to ankles in a thick black coat, his hands jammed into the pockets and a pair of clunky-looking black boots poking out the bottom. Draco’s feet seemed to take on a mind of their own, as he found himself moving forward automatically, his own boots not making a sound on the damp grass. It was not until he stepped up onto the gutter that he made any sound, accidentally kicking a few loose stones. Link’s head snapped up and it was like Draco’s heart had stopped. The longing that immediately filled those violet eyes would have been enough permission for Draco, but it was the change that caused him to move. As Link’s eyes shifted to a glowing blue and his ears pointed, Draco’s attention was drawn to a pair of elderly women making their way down the street towards them. Doing the only thing he could think of to hide Link’s heritage, Draco moved to sweep a clump of dreads away from Link’s face, covering the pointed tip of the ear that was visible from the road with the palm of his hand.

“Dray...”

The move ended with the two of them mere inches apart, their breath mingling as they both breathed heavily. Not breaking eye contact, Draco very deliberately closed the gap between them, enjoying the almost crackling atmosphere between them. He did not get to enjoy it for long, as Link’s hands circled around his waist and pulled him flush against his chest. Draco grinned in the second before their lips met in a kiss that he could only describe as desperate. His mouth opened automatically, allowing Link to slide his tongue in and over his teeth. The deep groan that vibrated between them could have come from either or both of them; Draco was too focussed on getting as close to Link as he could to pay much attention. The second groan, however, was definitely Draco’s as Link opened the coat and wrapped it around Draco as well, enveloping him in warmth and Link’s earthy scent.

“Oh my, the things young people get up to in public these days!”

“Yes, absolutely disgraceful!”

Draco relaxed further into the warmth of Link’s arms as he felt him begin to laugh at the disgusted sound of the two elderly women’s voices as they passed. The quiet sound warmed him just as much as the physical heat of the coat and Link’s arms surrounding him as the kiss was broken. Enjoying the buzz of being held in the security of Link’s strong arms again, Draco found himself hesitant to open his eyes again.

“Hi,” he whispered after a few seconds, earning himself another quiet chuckle.

“Hi yourself,” Link responded, the familiar sound of his soft Welsh accent sending a pleasurable shiver through Draco’s stomach. “Gods, I missed you, cariad.”

Draco’s eyes opened as a wide smile spread across his face, but before he could respond properly, the twisting squeeze of Apparition stole his breath away. They landed in a darkened room, Link’s arms holding Draco steady until he got his balance back. A quick glance around told Draco this was a place he did not recognise: a large four-poster bed sat against the wall to his right, and a set of what appeared to be built-in wardrobes lined the wall to his left, with a large window shedding light into the room at the other end. He frowned as Link released him and took a step back; it appeared as though the entire room had a slight curve to it.

“Where –”

“Somewhere safe.”

Link’s voice held a little of the old humour Draco was so used to hearing from him. Draco’s eyes followed him as he moved off into the room, shedding the long coat and waving his wand at the lights and door. Completely ignoring the new room that had just been revealed, Draco took the opportunity to check Link out properly, trying to catalogue any changes since he had seen him last.

_He’s tired; Gwen said he’s been overworking. Has he lost weight? He’s completely useless when it comes to looking after himself. He’s... staring at me._

“Do I pass inspection?” There was an edge to Link’s voice now that sent Draco’s nerves shivering with worry.

“I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you; you know that.”

“Uh-huh.” Link crossed his arms across his chest and leant back against one of the posts of the bed, watching Draco intently.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to stop the trembling of his hands – which were clenched in the pockets of his blue-grey robes – Draco met Link’s eyes with something approaching confidence. “Fine, you want to do this now? Go right ahead; let me have it.”

“You left me. You knew that me being claimed before we could seal the bond was a possibility and at the first test, you ran. How am I supposed to feel about that? How can I trust you not to run again?” He held up a hand when Draco opened his mouth to answer. “No, don’t answer. You want everything out in the open? Well, until two or three minutes ago, I was facing having to watch you move on. The best-case scenario was that you’d agree to stop by once a week to keep me alive, but that was it. You would be free to go about your life as you saw fit, while I would be stuck with _two_ bonds; one to a man I don’t even like and one to someone I would spent the rest of my life longing after. Because that’s the sad truth of the matter, Dray; I _need_ you, but you don’t need me. And you know what the worst part about it was? Eventually, you’d begin to resent me. Your wife would start telling you that I was taking advantage and the visits would get shorter and shorter as your real family grew... All because I was _stupid_ enough to fuck things up bad enough to cause that resentment in the first place.” Pain flashed through Link’s expressive eyes before he turned so Draco was unable to see them. “I’m sorry, Dray, but I know it’s not enough and I don’t expect you to forgive me.”

Draco stood rooted to the spot, his chest aching as he watched the man he loved turn from him. Knowing there were two parts of that speech that he needed to address, as well as apologising for his own behaviour, the only thing Draco was debating was whether he should attempt to reassure Link now, or wait until after he had had his say. That decision was taken out of his hands by seeing Link’s arms wrap around his middle. Draco moved quickly to spin him around and hold him close until he began to react, wrapping his arms around Draco’s waist to pull him closer as he buried his face into the crook of Draco’s neck.

“Draco...”

“Shh, Elfling, it’s ok.” The endearment slipped from his mouth without him even thinking about it and appeared to have the effect of relaxing the tension in Link’s shoulders a little. “It’s always been difficult for me to express what I’m feeling. I was always taught that men don’t show emotion – I was even taught Occlumency during the War to hide everything – but that only caused me to lash out in other ways. I’m harsh and sarcastic and when people fight back, I aim for their soft spots. I was already hurting before you laid a finger on me that night, because of Adrian. It caused me to go for the one thing that I knew would stick with you. I knew that physical contact with their mate is the most important thing to someone with an Inheritance, so that’s what I went after. I may be a complete coward, but I know how to use words to manipulate people and that’s exactly what I did to you. For that, I can’t apologise enough and I know it. As for my habit of running when I can’t deal with a situation, all I can do is apologise again. I can swear to you that, if you allow me, I will spend the rest of my life attempting to make it up to you.”

Silence surrounded them for a few seconds after that pronouncement, until Link shifted, adjusting his position a little so his voice was not muffled. “Was that a proposal, Dray?”

The words forced the memory of what was in his pocket to the forefront of Draco’s mind. He moved so that he could retrieve the shrunken box from his pocket, causing Link to let out a sound of protest when he stepped back to create a small gap between them. Allowing himself to smile at the confusion that crossed Link’s face when he held his hand up and muttered the spell to un-shrink the box, Draco took a deep breath as his stomach flipped with nerves. The confusion on Link’s face cleared to complete shock when Draco opened the lid of the box, revealing a simple silver ring.

“Is – is that...”

“It’s a promise ring,” Draco leant back against the post of the bed, finding he needed the support for what he was about to say. “I swear that for the rest of my life, I will endeavour to make absolutely certain that you never want for anything; to soothe any hurts, whether caused by my own idiocy or an outside force; to stay by your side and create a life together. If I’m lucky enough that, one day, that life together includes marriage, then we can switch this one for an actual wedding band. You can take that earlier promise any way you want, because that is what this ring stands for.”

The words were a modified version of an old pure-blood ceremony used ‘for presenting a beloved with a promise ring’. Draco had altered the wording slightly so the magic surrounding the words did not bind them into any magical contracts, but the sentiment behind them had remained. He watched Link’s expressive eyes with a mix of trepidation and hope.

“That’s an engagement ring.”

“What? No it–”

Draco’s words were cut off as Link leant in to press their lips together. “You just said to take the earlier promise any way I wanted to. _That_ is an engagement ring.”

It took a few seconds for that statement to sink in, but when it did, the hope that had been slowly building in Draco’s chest exploded in what felt like sparks that flew out to every single nerve ending, causing an uncontrollable smile to almost crack his face in two. _Marriage? He wants to marry me?_

“You want...?”

“ _You_ , Dray, in any and every way I can have you.” Draco’s breath rushed out of him in an almost-laugh as Link closed the gap between them to brush their lips together again. “Can I have my ring?”

Draco was aware that he was still grinning like an idiot as he made a grab for Link’s right hand, but was completely incapable of stopping it. He frowned when Link jerked the hand back. “It goes on your right hand; it’s a promise ring.”

“It’s an _engagement_ ring; it goes on my left hand.”

“No, let me propose properly. I’ll get a real ring. This one is just –”

“It’s not ‘just’ anything: it’s the ring I want.”

“But –”

Link stopped Draco’s words quite effectively by pressing as close as he could get and drawing him into a heated kiss. The box snapped shut with a click as Link closed his left hand around Draco’s right, holding the box securely between them. Draco allowed himself to become lost in the overwhelming sense of joy rushing through him as he tangled his free hand through the mess of dreads in the back of Link’s head. The thought that he could end the day engaged had not once occurred to him when he was lying on his bed, imagining different scenarios. In fact, the most he had allowed himself to hope for was that he and Link could come to some sort of arrangement where they could see each other often enough that Draco would eventually be able to convince him to give him a second chance. A quick swipe of Link’s tongue along the roof of his mouth dragged him back to reality, causing a moan to slip from his throat. He frowned slightly as Link let out what sounded like a growl, but the cause quickly became clear.

“Lincoln Alexander Northam that had _better_ be Draco you’re molesting, or so help me...”

Breaking the kiss with a huff of laughter, Draco leant his forehead against Link’s, the smile returning full-force. “Hi Gwen.”

“I can stall for maybe 10 more minutes, but after that they’ll want to meet him.” With that cryptic comment, she withdrew and closed the door again.

Link’s arm tightened around Draco’s waist for a few seconds before he pulled back to glance over to the closed door. The small frown that creased his forehead as he turned back prompted Draco into further action. Leaning in, he buried his nose in behind Link’s pointed ear, breathing deeply as he enjoyed Link’s automatic reaction of wrapping his arm around his waist again.

“Gods, you smell so good; always so green and earthy.”

He had not meant to say anything; had just wanted to reassure Link that he was not going to leave. However, it seemed that those words held some kind of significance for Link, as he pulled Draco flush up against him again, both arms now wrapped tightly around him.

“‘Earthy’? You said... That’s what I smell like to you?” There was an urgency to Link’s voice that caused Draco to frown.

“Yes, you always have. Why?”

Instead of responding, Link drew Draco into another kiss, as deep and passionate as the last. He almost dropped the box when one of Link’s hands squeezed his arse, causing him to arch into him even further.

“ _Mate_ ,” Link whispered when he broke the kiss a few seconds later. “Rwy'n dy garu di, cariad.”

“I love you, too, Elfling,” Draco responded and received an enormous smile in return.

“Come meet my parents.”

*~*

Smiling to himself as he made his way out onto the balcony of his parent’s house, Lincoln paused to take in the sight before him. Draco stood staring out across the valley, the dappled moonlight through the high leaves casting him half in shadow. He twisted the ring on his left ring finger, warmth flooding through him as he thought back on the day they had just spent together. Draco had proven to him once again just how _right_ they were together when he had not only managed to successfully not become overwhelmed by the excitement the sight of the ring on Lincoln’s left hand had produced from the women, but also by nearly winning over his father as well. He figured that a few casual mentions that Draco was an avid Puddlemere supporter should do the trick, as his father was originally from Dorset. His stomach flipped as Draco shifted his position, his blue-grey robes framing his body, showing off his tight arse perfectly as he leant on the railing.

“Do you like it?” Lincoln figured an innocuous subject like the valley would keep his mind from things he really should not be thinking about.

“It’s beautiful,” Draco breathed, wonder in his voice. “You grew up here?”

Lincoln smiled as he moved to wrap his arms around Draco’s waist. He knew in the back of his mind that they had only managed to put a temporary patch over their problems that morning, but he was more than happy to just enjoy the feeling of being together for the time being. Draco relaxed back into his arms with a soft sigh, his hands moving to cover Lincoln’s on his stomach.

“You’re beautiful.” _So much for innocuous._ “And yes, when I wasn’t at school, this is what I came home to.”

“Do you miss it?” Draco’s voice was low, with an intensity to it that told Lincoln his answer was important.

“Of course I do; I don’t think it’d be possible for me not to.” He watched Draco’s reaction to his words carefully, wishing it was possible for him to have the empathic connection with him instead of Adrian. “I always planned on having a home here once I was married.”

The smile Draco gave in response to this had Lincoln smiling in return. “Show me.”

Turning them both so Draco had the right line of sight, Lincoln pointed out across the valley towards where he knew there was a small lake. “Straight through there where it’s less crowded, so the kids can have all the room they need to run around and practice Quidditch whenever they want.”

“‘Kids’?”

“Mmhm,” he responded, deciding in that minute to ignore the fact that the only way the two of them could ever have children was if they had managed to seal the bond and to simply lay out the fantasy. “Little white-blond angels with the prettiest grey eyes I’ve ever seen.”

Draco let out a laugh as he turned around, giving Lincoln a close-up view of his eyes shining with humour. “I think I’d prefer little dark blond devils with pretty violet eyes.”

_Violet?_ “Maybe a mix of both?” Lincoln tightened his grip on Draco’s waist, pulling him up against him.

“As long as they look like you, that’s fine by me.”

Lincoln grinned as Draco pressed a kiss to his lips, despite the slight hole that conversation had opened up inside him. He gave himself a mental shake when his thoughts moved off towards what Adrian had destroyed, blocking them out as effectively as he could: by focussing solely on the man in his arms. Having Draco back in his life would go a long way to fixing many of the things that had been having a detrimental effect on his life over the past three weeks, including helping to heal some of the physical pain caused by knowing that the man who had chosen him – he refused to call Adrian his mate – did not actually want him. He slid his tongue into the heat of Draco’s mouth, dragging a happy-sounding hum from his mate – his _true_ mate. Wanting for there to be an infinite number of minutes they could stay like this, Lincoln had to bite back a frustrated groan when Draco broke the kiss much earlier than he wanted.

“Link,” Lincoln smiled when Draco’s voice came out sounding breathy, causing him to clear his throat and try again. “Why is what you smell like to me so important?”

Taking a few seconds to re-orientate himself, Lincoln opened his eyes to see curiosity on Draco’s face. “It has to do with the bond.” He paused, shock running through his veins as he realised that now that they he had formed a partial bond with Draco, the restrictions appeared to have lifted, allowing him to speak freely about his heritage. “When someone with even a slight amount of creature blood wants to bond with a Wood Elf, the only thing they can smell on them is that earthy scent you can smell on me. I can guarantee you that I don’t smell ‘earthy’ to anyone else; just you. It’s the same for the Elf in question as well: we can only smell what attracts us most on the skin of the one we want to bond with if they have creature blood other than Wood Elf.”

A thoughtful look crossed Draco’s face as his eyes slid off to focus on a point over Lincoln’s shoulder. “When I mentioned it earlier... _That’s_ why you reacted like that. It was proof, right?”

“I didn’t need proof that you love me, Dray,” Lincoln was quick to admit and smiled when Draco’s eyes snapped back to him. “I’ve known that for a while now. But my Elven side... It doesn’t control my actions like it would if I was a full-blood, but it has some influence. I can tell the difference between what I’m feeling and what that part of me is feeling and it seemed to me that my Elven side needed some kind of reassurance. The fact that I smell like that to you is more proof than it will ever need.”

“So... what do I smell like to you then?”

“Sandalwood.” Lincoln smiled when Draco crinkled his nose.

“Sandalwood? But I don’t like sandalwood.”

The laughter that bubbled up from Lincoln’s chest seemed to pull a smile from Draco as well. “I don’t think it takes what _you_ like into account. Apparently it’s what _I_ like and believe me, it smells so good on you.” He took a few seconds to bury his nose into the warm spot just behind Draco’s ear, breathing deeply. The embarrassed-sounding huff of breath Draco gave in response had Lincoln laughing again as he pulled back far enough to be able to brush his thumb across Draco’s red cheekbone. “That was just the final proof that you are my perfect mate, but there’s something more important to me than the way I smell to you. You chose me without having a creature Inheritance prodding you to do so and you made that decision long before you knew of my heritage. The fact that you want to have that kind of bond with me is almost a bonus, as you wanted _me_ long before you knew a bond was possible.”

The kiss Draco pulled him into was soft and slow, building a fire in Lincoln’s stomach that he knew would leave him incredibly frustrated. He decided that a little frustration was unlikely to kill him as Draco let out a satisfied hum when he trailed his hand down to bunch the bottom of Draco’s shirt in his fist. His tongue slid out to trace a pattern over Draco’s lips before pressing a little harder in a request for entrance. His mate’s mouth opened immediately, hot and welcoming. Instead of being allowed to explore slowly as he usually did, Lincoln found his tongue being sucked on, sending shivers of delight straight through him. It was only after a few seconds of this that Draco pulled back, both breaking the kiss and most of the physical contact by stepping backwards. Lincoln’s eyes flew open to find Draco flushed and breathing heavily. He tried to force himself not to smile at the state Draco had worked himself up into as he loosened his grip on his waist. It was then that he realised that he was in no better a condition: his breath came in gasps as a feeling of loss hit him in the ribs when the physical contact had been lessened.

“Is that better?”

“Mmm, two months...” Draco still had not opened his eyes.

“And one week,” Lincoln added helpfully, this time completely unable to prevent the smile from breaking across his face.

“Shh, you. Two months.” Draco’s eyes opened to reveal wide-blown pupils as his breathing started to even out. Lincoln unconsciously bit down on his bottom lip as desire pooled in his stomach. “No, don’t do that; it doesn’t help.” Draco ran his thumb along Lincoln’s lip, pulling it out from between his teeth.

“Sorry, I... Wow, this is going to be hard.” Draco’s snort of laughter had Lincoln ducking his head as a blush turned his own features bright red. “ _Difficult_ then, you bloody child.”

Draco moved a hand so he could tilt Lincoln’s head back up with his fingers beneath his chin. “Is it strictly sex that’s frowned on during these three months? Because I’m sure I can find another way to occupy myself if it is...”

His words trailed off as his eyes travelled down Lincoln’s body, causing the blush to reassert itself on Lincoln’s cheeks. “I’ll find out.” _No idea how, but if there’s a way, I’m not turning it down._

“In that case, I should probably –” Draco turned to glance through the glass window at the living room, obviously looking at the fireplace.

“Stay,” Lincoln murmured, completely unwilling to let him go now he had him back. “The whole weekend, if you have it free.”

“Anything you want, Elfling.”

The whispered words stoked the fire in Lincoln’s stomach again as Draco pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. _He’s definitely trouble. Thank Merlin it’s the good kind._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Rwy'n dy garu di = I love you.  
> Cariad = Sweetheart/darling, etc.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to set the scene: this is set during one of the weekdays in the week following the last chapter :)

Harry eyed Draco with barely concealed suspicion. It had been almost a month since Hogwarts had started back up and for the first three weeks, Draco had seemed to be utterly miserable: moping around the castle, taking points from unsuspecting students and glaring daggers at Harry. The only respite Harry had gotten was for the first few days after Sev had spoken to Draco and had apparently convinced him to start being nicer. That, however, had not lasted long; Draco had gone back to being the miserable bastard Harry had always thought he was during school after only a few days. He frowned as Draco laughed at something the youngest Greengrass sister said; ever since he had come back from wherever he had gone the last weekend, there had been an incredible change in Draco’s attitude and Harry wanted to know why.

“Alright, that’s it for the day. Pack up your things and get out of here!” Harry’s frown deepened at the cheery tone to Draco’s voice. “What are you glaring at?”

Jolted out of his thoughts by the question aimed at him, Harry pushed his ungainly body out of the chair – having nearly reached his fifth month, he now really both looked and felt pregnant – and crossed his arms across his chest. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Harry.”

He stepped back, worry making him clumsy as Draco shot him a huge grin. “You’re so... _happy_. You’re never happy unless you’re doing something annoying and if it affects either me or the students, I’d like to know what it is.”

Draco sighed dramatically as he gathered his things from the Professor’s table at the front of the classroom. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there’ll be much _doing_ of any sort in my near future, if you catch my meaning.”

Harry just stared at him, wondering if maybe one of the students who still held a grudge against Draco had managed to poison his drink at lunch. He was uncertain if he even _wanted_ to be able to understand what Draco was raving about, or what had caused this sudden burst of cheerfulness, so he settled for offering up a nervous smile when Draco met his eyes.

“Two months, Harry, _two months_. Don’t forget to close the door behind you.” Draco grinned again as he grabbed the last of his things from the desk and moved off into his private quarters.

Now thoroughly confused, Harry gathered his own belongings from the desk, shoving them haphazardly into his bag. Needing to get out of the classroom – and therefore closer to his mate – he made his way out as quickly as he could. It had been with much chagrin that he had recently noticed that his ‘quick’ these days consisted mostly of a fast waddle. His hips, arse and shoulders had filled out over the past month, giving him the appearance of a clothed sloth: his skinny arms and legs stuck out from his bloated belly and fat arse and – one of the more horrifying things to Harry’s mind – his thighs had begun to rub together. Some days he wondered how Sev could even stand to look at him clothed, let alone completely naked, looking the way he did. He gasped as a hand shot out and dragged him into the Potions classroom as soon as he was close enough.

“Sev?” Harry managed to ask as he was pressed up against the door, his mate’s hot mouth trailing fire down his throat.

“You were expecting someone else?”

Harry moaned in response, lifting his chin so Sev had better access. “Never wanted anyone else.”

“Good.” The possessiveness in Sev’s voice sent shivers of delight through Harry. “Now, tell me what is wrong; you have been worried about something all day.”

A whine escaped Harry’s throat as the lips left him so Sev could stare down at him with an assessing look, obviously checking him over for any physical problems. “You’re sure you want to _talk_ right now?” He sighed when the only response he received was the raise of an eyebrow. “You know teasing your pregnant mate isn’t the smartest thing to do, right?”

Sev’s deep laugh followed Harry as he made his way through the classroom, knowing that if Sev wanted to talk, he would be much more comfortable in their quarters than in the drafty classroom. He waved his wand at the fireplace the second he entered the living room, the warmth chasing the coolness from the lake out of the room quickly. Harry settled down into one corner of the lounge and kicked his boots and socks off, earning himself a _look_ from Sev. The grin he shot his mate in response had Sev shaking his head as he sat down on the lounge as well, pulling Harry’s bare feet up into his lap. The feeling of having Sev’s long fingers massaging the ache out of his feet almost made Harry’s eyes roll back in his head. The pleasure was not sexual in nature, but the mere fact that his mate had thought to give him this kind of attention apparently had some kind of effect on Harry’s creature, which began to nearly purr in pleasure in the back of his mind. His head dropped back against the armrest as his entire body relaxed in parts, the tensions of the school day draining out of him rapidly. Sev allowed him to enjoy the sensations for a few minutes before clearing his throat and raising an eyebrow.

“There is absolutely nothing worrying me at the moment,” Harry mumbled honestly, not even bothering to lift his head from the lounge. A rush of amused affection down the bond caused him to smile.

“May I suggest a compromise, then?” Harry’s eyes met Sev’s and his body immediately took an interest in the fire he saw there. “I shall make good on the promises my earlier ‘teasing’ made, so you shall not be too frustrated to tell me what has had you worried today.”

It took a few seconds for Harry’s lust-fogged brain to sort through that sentence, as Sev’s hand had slipped up his leg and begun to massage him beneath his robes. “You – you’re using sex as a bargaining chip?”

“I am offering _satisfaction_ to my frustrated mate.”

“Frustration that you caused in the first place,” Harry grumbled, but there was no way he was going to turn the offer down.

Sev seemed to sense this, as the hand slowly driving all rational thought from Harry’s mind moved to release the buttons of his fly. Harry’s hands flew up to tangle in his mate’s long hair as he adjusted his position; not quite lying on top of Harry, but creating just enough pressure so he wanted more. He dragged Sev down into a heated kiss, arching his back in offer as he felt his fly coming undone. The deep chuckle that vibrated his lips had Harry smiling into the kiss. His hands roamed all over Sev’s shoulders and back when, with a wash of magic, both of their robes Vanished, making Harry wonder briefly why Sev had bothered undoing the fly at all if that was his aim. His reasoning slowly started becoming clearer as the minutes drifted past in a lust-induced haze and the only stimulation Harry received was Sev’s hand on his cock: he was not offering sex.

“Sev,” Harry gasped out when he finally grasped the situation. “Sev, please...”

“Satisfaction is what I offered. I did not specify what kind.”

Harry arched his back, groaning as his hips jerked involuntarily. “I want _you_ , Sev.”

“A fact of which I am well aware, Potter, and one that I shall continue to exploit for the rest of your life; however, that is not actually the point right now. Right now, I need for you to show me just how much you want me.” He twisted his hand as he reached the head of Harry’s cock, causing Harry’s tightly-held control to slip just that little further.

“S-Sev, please,” Harry whined, knowing he was not going to last.

“Come for me, Harry. Let go.”

The deep bass rumble of his mate’s voice positioned at his ear combined with the fingers wrapping around his throbbing cock finally proved to be too much for Harry and he cried out as he felt himself tipping over the edge. His hands clenched on Sev’s shoulders, no doubt leaving moon-shaped nail marks from the pressure as his body spasmed. Panting as Sev milked every last drop out of him, Harry opened glazed eyes to get a quick glimpse of Sev’s black eyes before pulling him into a relieved kiss.

Taking a few seconds to catch his breath somewhat, Harry ran his tongue along the roof of Sev’s mouth, earning himself a pleased hum. His fingers flexed as he released them from Sev’s shoulders, aching a little from the pressure with which he had dug them in. Concentrating on the marks, he focussed the little bit of Veela magic he had and Healed them, smiling as they disappeared before his eyes. He took the quick jerk of Sev’s hips as a hint to move faster and trailed his fingers gently down the middle of his mate’s back in response. Sev shivered in his arms and let out a gasp the second Harry’s fingers wrapped lightly around his leaking cock. Smoothing the trickling pre-cum over the hard head of his mate’s cock, Harry found his rhythm quickly, knowing from the noises Sev was making that he was too far gone to last very long.

“Harry, I – I...”

Harry grinned when Sev gave up all pretences of control and began to thrust into his hand. Revelling in the knowledge that he was the only one able to make Sev lose control like this, Harry twisted his hand as Sev thrust in again. That seemed to be the final bit of stimulation he needed, as he buried his face into the gap between Harry’s neck and the back of the lounge, letting out a sound that may have been Harry’s name, but it was too muffled for him to hear. Knowing how incredible it always felt, Harry continued to stroke Sev until he began to soften, his entire body relaxing as he came down from the high.

“Love you, Sev,” Harry murmured as he felt himself drifting off and smiled when a muffled mumble was the only response he got.

*~*

Blinking to clear the swirling mass of green flames from his vision as he stepped through the floo, Lincoln grinned in the few seconds it took Draco to reach him and pull him into a heated kiss. The restrictions on their activities during the three-month waiting period, which Lincoln had been unable to discover a way around, were apparently making Draco a little impatient. Unfortunately for Lincoln, the way Draco displayed this impatience was to get as physical as he was allowed under the restrictions. Gasping in pleasure as Draco’s fingers traced along the shell of his ear, Lincoln moved them both back until Draco’s legs hit the lounge, forcing him to sit with a surprised grunt. Stepping back in a move that was prompted purely by self-preservation, Lincoln held a hand out to stop Draco from coming after him.

“Fucking Adrian,” Draco muttered, echoing Lincoln’s feelings exactly.

Lincoln could not help smiling at that, thankful that it was Adrian who was going to cop the blame for their current situation rather than him. “I’m sorry, Dray.”

“No, don’t be; it’s not your fault. Come here.” He held his hand out, smirking a little when Lincoln hesitated. “I swear I’ll keep my hands to myself. Or at least, I’ll try.”

Unable to resist the challenge in those grey eyes, Lincoln took Draco’s hand, allowing himself to be manoeuvred on the lounge until they were both comfortable. Lincoln stroked his right hand down the length of Draco’s back as he settled against his chest, smiling when it caused a shiver to run through him. Thinking back over the past few days as it became obvious that Draco was happy just to sit there for the time being, Lincoln was a little stunned at how everything had turned out. Neither of them had been happy with the idea of being separated every day except for the weekends so, on Sunday night after they had left Cardiff, Draco had brought Lincoln to Hogwarts. They had gone straight to the Headmistress’s office, and with a lengthy conversation over many cups of tea, they had explained the situation to her. She had been understanding – which Lincoln knew he should not have been surprised about, due to Potter and Snape’s presence in the school – and had actually thanked them for letting her know beforehand that Lincoln would be flooing into the Defence Master’s quarters. Apparently they had limited the permissions for who was allowed to spend time at the school that was not official business to those who were directly related to the students and staff after the War and it had caused a warm wash of satisfaction through Lincoln’s stomach to know that he was officially recognised by the school as being of that much importance to Draco. Of course, the presence of the ring on his left hand had probably gone a long way to helping prove that what they were saying was true.

“Link?” He was pulled back to reality by the quiet sound of Draco’s voice. He glanced down to see Draco watching him with an incredibly serious look on his face.

“Hmm?”

“I’m going to propose properly.” He twisted the ring on Lincoln’s finger and smiled when Lincoln’s eyebrows shot up.

“You don’t have to: I did kind of force it on you.”

Draco gave a small huff of a laugh before moving up to place a chaste kiss on Lincoln’s lips. “You didn’t force anything on me I didn’t already want. I’ll admit I may have been surprised, but marriage was definitely where we were heading, you just realised it before I did. But I’ll do it properly this time, with a real ring.”

Lincoln’s eyes followed Draco’s to the simple silver ring that sat on his left ring finger. Despite the fact that he had only had it for five days, he had grown quite attached to it. It was incredibly surprising that something so small and unassuming could hold such significance to him, but knowing everything that it symbolised gave him such a sense of security that Lincoln was unwilling to give it up. He brushed his thumb under it, causing it to spin on his finger.

“Don’t worry; I’m not going to take that one back.”

Lincoln’s eyes snapped to Draco’s to see a level of humour in them that he had not seen in weeks. It forced an embarrassed smile out of him as his cheeks flamed and he turned his head to cover it up. Draco’s fingers beneath his chin stopped him from moving too far, turning him back and trying to force him to look into those strange grey eyes. Still feeling the prickling of embarrassment on his cheeks, Lincoln closed his eyes instead, drawing an amused laugh from Draco.

“I love that it means so much to you,” he whispered, moving close enough so Lincoln could hear him easily. “I love that _I_ mean so much to you.”

“You’re _everything_ to me, Dray,” Lincoln responded without thinking, his eyes opening slowly as the blush started to recede. “You’ve been the only one for me since the second I laid eyes on you in that ballroom.”

The enormous smile that broke out on Draco’s face had Lincoln smiling properly back at him as Draco leant in to press their lips together. “I love you, too.”

*~*

Startled into consciousness by a hand roaming over his belly, Harry let out a sound of protest, which received an amused-sounding huff of breath from behind him. Stretching like a cat – his back arching, hands above his head and neck stretched – helped to relieve the rest of the kinks that he associated with pregnancy that their earlier activities had not cured. His body now completely relaxed, he flipped over onto his back to meet his mate’s eyes, a lazy smile stretching across his face. The fact that they were in their bed in their rooms instead of on the lounge still really did not surprise him, as he knew Sev preferred the bed if he could have it.

“I think we’ve missed dinner,” Harry stated with a grin as Sev’s hand returned to circling on his belly.

“I will take you over dinner any day.”

“Mmm, sounds like fun.” Harry let out a snigger as Sev’s eyebrows rose into his hairline. “Might be a bit messy, though.”

“You know, Potter, there are times when I believe that introducing you to any kind of sexual pleasure may have been a bad idea.” The dry tone to Sev’s voice told Harry he was joking and he sent up a thanks to whoever was listening that he had made the effort to be able to tell the difference between the subtle variations in Sev’s tones.

“Wouldn’t that leave you rather lonely at night?” He reached to run his hand through a clump of hair that was about to fall over his mate’s face, pushing it back so he could see his black eyes clearly. “Because believe me, there’s _no way_ I am ever letting anyone else that close to you ever again.”

The hand that had been resting lightly on Harry’s stomach moved down to his side, gently pulling him closer to his mate so their lips could meet in a soft kiss. The possessive feeling that had run through him a few seconds before flared again as he felt it echoed down the bond. He smiled as they broke apart, the hot flash of passion he received from Sev sending adrenalin shooting through his nerve endings.

“ _Mine_ ,” Sev growled, nipping lightly at Harry’s bottom lip.

“Yes,” Harry whispered back, his smile widening. “Only yours.”

For a few seconds, it seemed as though Sev had slipped into some kind of trance – his breathing was even, his eyes glazed and he stilled completely – but he snapped out of it when Harry traced a finger down the side of his face. Being the sole focus of those sharp black eyes that had once made him so uncomfortable was a little strange for Harry, especially when it appeared as though Sev was measuring him up for something. However, he kept eye contact, not wanting to break the mood. A shiver ran straight down Harry’s spine when Sev’s tongue flicked out to wet his lips.

“I believe it is your turn to make good on a promise,” Sev prompted him, reminding Harry that the reason he was so relaxed was due to Sev’s bargaining earlier.

Rolling onto his back again, Harry scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to decide exactly where to start. He knew that his worry over Sev not wanting him was completely irrational, especially when he took that earlier sense of possessiveness into account. He also knew that the slight fear he was beginning to feel over the actual birthing part of giving birth was _probably_ irrational, as the methods used for wizards to give birth were actually safer than the nearest muggle equivalent. The fact that he was beginning to see more and more of Remus and Tonks in Teddy each time he saw him was making it difficult for him to be around his Godson, but he figured that would die down as Teddy grew. Deciding to keep those worries to himself for the time being, he went straight for the most logical thing.

“I think Draco’s having some kind of psychotic break and I really don’t want to be there when he finally snaps completely.” Harry frowned as the sound of Sev’s deep laugh vibrated through him. “What? You asked what was worrying me all day and that’s it. Ever since he came back from wherever he went last weekend he’s been incredibly nice and happy and even helpful. It’s... unnatural and completely disturbing.”

Removing his hands from his face so he could turn to watch Sev attempt to control his laughter long enough to respond, Harry shook his head, wondering why he had even bothered. He knew that Draco had been Sev’s favourite during their school years so, logically, it must follow that he would stand up for him now. A small trickle of annoyance threaded through him, aimed directly at his currently disturbingly cheerful co-Defence Master.

“Sorry,” Sev managed after taking a few deep breaths. “But if you had any idea of how amusing the idea of a Malfoy suffering from an actual diagnosable psychiatric disorder is...”

He trailed off, shaking his head as he began to laugh again. Causing his usually so-controlled mate to dissolve into helpless laughter like this again had been an aim of Harry’s ever since he had first managed the feat a few months back. The fact that he had managed it again by suggesting that Draco Malfoy had serious mental problems came as a bit of a surprise but Harry would take his wins as they came. Running the backs of his fingers beneath Sev’s eyes, he wiped up the stream of tears falling as Sev laughed.

“Is that the only reaction I’m going to get? ‘Don’t worry about the psychopath because it’ll be too funny to see his father’s reaction when he’s diagnosed’?” He could not help grinning as Sev met his eyes. “And here I thought you liked Draco.”

Sev closed his eyes, taking deep breaths in an obvious attempt at control. Harry watched with mounting interest; it was amazing the difference laughter made to his mate’s face: colour had risen in his cheeks, deep-set laugh lines framed his mouth and his eyes shone with humour when he finally opened them again. Unable to resist, Harry brushed his thumb along Sev’s bottom lip, causing him to smile again.

“I _do_ quite like Draco, despite his being unfortunate enough to have a father like Lucius. He is, thankfully, more like Narcissa than his father; in nature, if not looks.” He paused so he could run a hand down the side of Harry’s face, brushing an unmanageable lock of hair out of his eyes in the process. “I do wish the two of you could find some common ground. Shacklebolt was right: it would make both of your lives much easier if you could be friends rather than enemies. Perhaps that is what Draco is currently aiming for; to make good on the promise to attempt to get on with you this year.”

Harry stared at Sev dubiously; he had not seen Draco’s strange behaviour. But then, he considered, maybe if he could get past this childish suspicion of everything Draco did, it would help to ease some of his worry over other things in his life. Maybe he would be able to be this relaxed more often, which could only be good for both him and the baby. He grabbed Sev’s hand just as he was trailing it down his neck and turned it so the palm was facing him. Planting a kiss in the middle of the palm of Sev’s hand, Harry grinned at the small intake of breath he received in response.

“I guess... I guess he _could_ be trying to make friends.” He met Sev’s eyes, seeking out the safety and reassurance he regularly saw reflected there. “You really think I shouldn’t worry about him?”

“I believe that if he has relaxed enough around you to be displaying anything other than animosity, then you should be perfectly safe around him. As shall the students.”

“If you think so, then it’s good enough for me. I’ll give it another try.”

His smile reflected Sev’s as their lips met in a soft kiss. Anticipation raced through his veins when Sev’s fingers traced lightly down his side, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring all over his mate’s hot mouth as his thoughts drifted to a subject that he found much more interesting than anything to do with Draco ever could be. Sev reacted exactly how Harry had been hoping he would: rolling them over so he hovered above Harry, his black eyes shining down at him with a fire that had Harry’s blood racing in hopes of quite a good night.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, we're now getting into the proper story for Severus and Harry. This chapter is set during chapter 19 of Because I Love You, You Idiot. :)

Draco’s thrashing in the bed beside him jolted Lincoln awake as effectively as though a bucket of ice had been thrown over him. His mate looked incredibly distressed, which caused Lincoln’s Elven side to try to force its way to the front of his mind. Raising himself up onto one elbow, he placed a hand blindly on Draco’s shoulder, only to have it thrown off by a particularly wild movement. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he reached instead over to the bedside table and lit the tip of his wand, needing to be able to actually see what was going on. Draco was drenched in sweat, his pale hair plastered to his forehead, his breath came in short gasps and his legs were pulled up close to his body with his arms wrapped around his stomach. Every now and then he would give a violent shudder, which is what had apparently woken Lincoln up. Gingerly placing his hand on Draco’s shoulder again, he waited a few seconds to see if he would be thrown off again. When Draco did not move, he gently shook him in an attempt to wake him without scaring him any further. Panic rushed through his veins when there was no reaction.

“Dray? Come on, wake up,” he tried, his panic increasing when Draco groaned and tried to throw him off again. “Draco!”

“No!”

Lincoln gasped and fell back against the pillows as Draco sat bolt upright, spun around and pointed his wand directly between Lincoln’s eyes. Holding perfectly still, his eyes pinned to the tip of the wand pointed at him, he took a deep, steadying breath. Draco’s eyes were unfocussed, the end of the wand shaking with each breath that shuddered through him, telling Lincoln that he was not fully awake yet.

“Dray?”

“You won’t touch... You...” Draco’s eyes fluttered and he seemed to finally begin to wake up a little. “Link? What... You’re safe!”

Draco’s wand went clattering to the floor as he practically threw himself into Lincoln’s arms, his entire body trembling in what appeared to be relief. Lincoln was forcibly reminded of the early days of their relationship and the difference between Draco’s reactions to these kinds of incidents as he settled him properly against his chest. It was obvious that this was another nightmare and it was the automatic trust that Draco had shown that night when he had finally come out of it – as compared to the almost animalistic reaction he had had to his nightmares early on – that sent a warm feeling of satisfaction through Lincoln’s stomach. He had not had to spend ten minutes convincing his mate to trust him this time: it was there already, steadier and stronger than Lincoln could have ever hoped for.

“Shh, Dray, it’s alright. You’re safe here,” he murmured into Draco’s hair, running his hands up and down his back in an attempt to soothe him. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“I – I haven’t had one that bad in weeks.” Draco’s voice was a little muffled before he pushed himself up onto his elbows to hover above Lincoln, concern evident in his grey eyes. “I’m sorry, but you _are_ alright, right?”

Lincoln frowned as Draco’s hands roamed over his arms and chest, obviously checking him for injuries. He attributed the length of time it took him to work out what was going on to the fact that it was the middle of the night. “Was that dream about _me_?”

The sadness that shone through in Draco’s eyes as they locked onto Lincoln’s caused his chest to constrict painfully. “They all have been for a while now, ever since...” He trailed off, his eyes closing as pain flashed through them. “I’m sorry, Link.”

Moving to gather Draco into his arms, Lincoln mentally cursed himself for not seeing that something this serious had been bothering his mate. It had been a month since they had gotten back together and Lincoln had known that there was something different about Draco, but had been too wrapped up in his own sense of relief at having him back to look any deeper. He knew the kinds of dreams Draco had been having and the idea that he had been having the same kinds of dreams about _him_... he had to suppress a shudder at the thought. Although exactly _how_ Draco had managed to keep this from him was a bit perplexing – as they had been sleeping in the same bed together three or four times a week, depending on their schedules – he knew that he should have taken better care of his mate; that there was no excuse for him to have neglected Draco like this.

“Don’t apologise, Dray; I should be the one apologising.” Sitting up properly, Lincoln pulled Draco into his lap, holding him there securely as his breathing finally started evening out a little. “I was too focussed on my own worries to see that there was something wrong.”

Draco’s small huff of laughter as he tilted his head up surprised Lincoln, causing him to raise an eyebrow at him in question. “But you _do_ have a lot to worry about at the moment and it’s all much more important than some stupid dreams I’m having. I can deal with them; it just takes a while for me to calm down.”

Lincoln only just prevented himself from flinching as his Elf finally managed to break through, giving him a strong shot of guilt as it forced the transformation on him. “Dray, even if we didn’t have this connection, I’d still be insisting that you tell me whenever something like this happens; that’s what I’m here for. You don’t have to shoulder everything by yourself, cariad, not anymore. You _aren’t_ alone and I’m going to make damn sure that you never feel like you are again, ok?”

The wandlight reflected in Draco’s eyes as he stared wordlessly at Lincoln for a few seconds before moving so their lips were aligned, but not yet touching. “You sound incredibly confident about that.” He pressed their lips together when Lincoln opened his mouth to respond. “I like it.”

“You like it?” Lincoln blinked at his grinning mate in confusion.

“You’ve never really shown me the true dominant side of your personality. You’re always so quiet, almost cautious around me, especially after you were claimed.” He brushed his fingers over Lincoln’s lips as he went to respond, effectively silencing him. “You’re not going to scare me off by showing me that side of yourself. I told you that love is unconditional, right? Well, I wasn’t lying: if we can survive everything that we’ve survived over the past two months, then me seeing this part of you won’t make a difference. I understand the need to repress your Elven side so no one else knows, but those tiny little glimpses of your dominant nature I’ve gotten... It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The soft, slow kiss that followed that statement should not have fit in with the ferocity of the desire that ran deep through Lincoln’s core, but he discovered that it was the perfect counterbalance. Draco’s tongue slipped inside his mouth, exploring slowly as he settled back against the headboard. He knew that they could not stay like this for the rest of the night – that he had work in the morning and Draco had classes to teach – but he allowed himself to enjoy it for a while. He knew he had to break the kiss when he felt Draco sagging in his arms more than simple relaxation would cause. Pulling back gently, Lincoln smiled as Draco’s eyelids drooped before he blinked them open again.

“Come on, back to bed with you,” Lincoln chuckled over the top of Draco’s quiet objections.

“Link?” Lincoln leant in close so he could hear Draco properly as he settled down in the bed beside him. “Thank you.”

Lincoln smiled again when he heard Draco drop off to sleep before he could respond. He draped an arm protectively across his mate’s torso, resting his hand lightly on his hip as he shifted until he was comfortable. “Sleep well, cariad.”

*~*

There was absolutely no way Draco could possibly prevent the huge smile that continued to cross his face as he made his way down through the dungeons to the Potions room. He was still a little tired after the nightmare he had had the night before, but even that could not ruin his good mood. Of course, having Link right there this time so he could make absolutely certain that he was alright had gone a long way to relieving his fears. The nightmares had stopped coming as often as they used to and he had been able to hide them from Link since they had gotten back together, not wanting to worry him with something that he saw as insignificant. Apparently Link had not taken the same viewpoint, which was what was currently causing his good mood. The sight of Link’s Elven side always gave Draco a thrill and the knowledge that it had made an appearance this time in order to reassure _him_ only enhanced the feeling.

Of course, the fact that he appeared to be completely confusing Harry with his recent cheerful attitude in the process was an added bonus that he had not expected to receive. Although, he did have to admit to encouraging that confusion just to see how long it took Potter to snap completely.

He shook the thoughts from his mind as the Potions classroom came into view. The students clambering to get as far away from the classroom as possible should have been an indication as to what was to greet him inside, but Draco was now too focussed on exactly what he was going to tell Severus. The infrequent letters he had been receiving from his father had begun to contain threats towards both McGonagall and Severus, whom Lucius apparently saw as the two most likely reasons for Draco having ‘demeaned’ himself by becoming a Professor. Draco had just come from warning McGonagall, now he had to face telling Snape that there was a slight chance that Lucius could come after him. It was not something he was looking forward to. Taking a deep breath, he twisted the handle and swung the door open silently.

Severus sat at his desk, his head bowed over a stack of essays. If the jerky swipes of his quill over the parchment had not been enough indication of his bad mood, the thunderous scowl would have confirmed it. Draco had to bite back a grin at the familiar sight.

“Huh, Potter said you were in a foul mood. Guess I owe him a Galleon.” Draco figured a mention of the man’s mate may have the chance of placing Severus in a more receptive mood than he currently was. The glare he received before Severus lowered his head again told him not to bother.

“You are no longer a student, Malfoy. Do not make the mistake of thinking I will not curse you.”

“Ok, ok, I just came to warn you of something, and then I’ll be going.” Draco could hear the slight tone of worry that had crept into his voice, but could not suppress it. “My father has been sending me owls telling me that it is ‘beneath the dignity of a Malfoy to be serving under anyone, least of all someone like _her_ ’.” The blank stare that this statement produced would have been funny if the situation that had produced it had not been so serious.

“Do _you_ believe this as well?”

“No, of course not,” Draco responded immediately, knowing it was the complete truth. “I’ve had very little to do with my father since the trials; mostly because he has been too busy ratting out his old friends to anyone who would listen at the Ministry. My mother says that that is one of the only reasons he is not in Azkaban right now, along with Harry’s testimony. I know that if it wasn’t for McGonagall’s forgiveness that I would basically be unemployable and broke right now, so I’m not willing to let him fuck this up for me. I have already warned her, so now I am warning you as well; since you and her are the ones he is most likely to go after.” He kept his eyes locked onto Severus’s, despite feeling the slight reddening of his cheeks.

“Thank-you for the warning then, Mr. Malfoy. Was there anything else?”

Draco could not help the teasing tone that entered his voice as relief flooded through him when it became apparent that Severus was not worried about his father. “Yeah, actually, there was. You might want to do something either about or _to_ Potter by the end of the day. He was looking a little antsy the last I saw him, if you catch my meaning.”

He almost made it out the door before the tripping jinx hit him, but was just that much too slow. Letting out a surprised laugh as he stumbled over the threshold, Draco could have sworn he heard a slight amused sound from behind him as the door swung shut, but there was no way he was going back to see if he had managed to actually break through that bloody mask Severus held up against the world. His thoughts turned to lunch as he made his way back up through the castle, the last remnants of worry drifting slowly away as his good mood returned. If anyone could hold their own against his father, it was Severus.

*~*

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I must confess myself surprised upon receipt of your letter. We have, of course, been following everything that has happened between you and He Who Must Not Be Named through the newspapers, but it was through no family obligation that we were aware of. When I first read your letter, I set some of our best genealogists to researching all of our outcast members, as well as those who have left willingly. We have not, as of yet, been able to find any connection that one of our lines may have with your family, but rest assured that we shall continue until we have found something._

_On a more personal note, I am lead to believe that you have recently found your mate and successfully managed to seal your bond without any resource other than your own instincts. May I offer my sincerest congratulations, especially considering the fact that there was probably a dearth of information regarding exactly how to seal said bond. If the Daily Prophet is to be believed, then this bond of yours is of a peculiar kind. It is not the regular custom of our people, but I would be more than willing to make the journey to Scotland to meet with you both and discuss this further. Our Healers would be fascinated to find out just how our magical lineage mixes with that of another and to see if there shall be anything to look out for in the children of such a bonding._

_I hope to hear back from you soon regarding any further contact between us._

_Kindest regards,_

_Catherine Ashtoncroft, Head of the Newcastle upon Tyne clan._

Harry’s eyes scanned the letter one more time as he waited for his mate in the passage that ran to the Professor’s entrance of the Great Hall. He knew that there was no absolute guarantee that Sev would decide to have lunch in the Hall that day, but figured from the vague sense he was getting down the bond that Sev would want to join him there; a weak feeling of need was drifting down to him, which he always associated with Sev needing to be near him. The jabs of temper and annoyance that had been niggling at the back of Harry’s mind had distracted him sufficiently enough that he had lowered the strength of the empathic link between him and his mate to the lowest point he could without cutting it off completely, which he knew would just send both of their creatures into a screaming panic. His own mood stood in stark contrast to his mate’s: excitement and a slight edge of nerves floated just beneath the unbelievable happiness that had started that morning and increased after the arrival of the letter.

He had almost given up hope of hearing back from the Wood Elf clan they had written to in Newcastle, as it had taken them about six weeks to respond. It had been so long since they had found any kind of helpful information that Harry had begun to believe that maybe they would just continue as they were without ever making contact. The waiting appeared to have been worth it, though, especially if the Elves could work out which of his ancestors it was that had Elven blood. He was dragged out of his thoughts when his senses told him that Sev was almost close enough for him to grab.

“Potter,” Sev growled, his voice low and menacing, when Harry reached out to grasp hold of the sleeve of his teaching robes.

Harry grinned in response, despite the fact that he had turned so Sev could not see his face. He pulled his mate down the passage until they were out of sight of the passing students before spinning around to pin Sev against the wall.

“Shut up and kiss me,” he demanded.

The kiss that followed was hard and rough, suiting the strength of the lust pounding down the weakened bond. Harry let out an involuntary moan as Sev’s tongue forced his lips apart, tilting his head back in complete submission to his mate. He closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around Sev’s neck, the letter crinkling a little as his hands clenched. Pressing as close as he could get, Harry smiled as Sev groaned. Following his instincts, he opened the bond up slowly, not wanting to overwhelm Sev with the strength of his excitement over the letter. Knowing that they would not have the passage to themselves for very long, Harry broke the kiss and tried to pull back to get Sev’s attention. The trailing of Sev’s lips down his throat told him that his mate was unwilling to allow him to step back too far, which caused warmth to pool in his stomach.

“Sev... _Gods_ ,” Harry gasped his mate nipped at the sensitive skin beneath his ear. “No, we’re in public. They... they wrote back, Sev.”

That appeared to do the trick: Sev pulled back from his neck, confusion pouring off him in waves. “‘They’ as in?”

“The Elves, of course; look at this.”

Harry had to bite back a grin as Sev snatched the letter from his hand when he waved it through the air. He knew that Sev had no idea just how easy it was for Harry to read him these days and there was no way he was going to let on. The fact that Sev pulled him down into his lap told him that he had either forgotten they were in public, or that he was in dire need of contact. Taking the chance that Sev simply wanted to feel him there with him while he read the letter, Harry tucked himself under the arm that Sev raised for him, his hand coming to rest over Sev’s heart.

“Harry,” Sev breathed after about a minute of silence, the strength of the hope in his voice causing Harry to smile at him again.

“What do you think? It’s worth a shot, right? I mean, she writes the same way you talk a lot of the time, almost boringly formal, but that usually means they’re really smart. So they might actually be able to find out something we can’t.”

The soft kiss that he received in response sent butterflies fluttering through his stomach. Sev’s arms wrapped around him as Harry settled into the kiss, one coming to rest on his belly, the other landing on the small of his back, massaging softly. The feeling of safety that flowed through him made it feel like his bones were going to melt in pleasure.

“Of course it is worth it. This is your family, after all.”

Sev deepened the kiss before Harry could respond. He could feel his mate fighting back against the waves of lust crashing through him as he adjusted his position. Revelling in the knowledge that he could distract Sev well enough that he forgot himself in public, Harry wriggled a little more than necessary, rubbing against Sev’s thighs with each movement. He stilled when he heard the door to the Great Hall open and heels clacking against the stones.

“Oh my! _Why_ am I always the one to walk in on you two? Better still, why are you always in public?” Slight embarrassment rushed through Harry at the sound of McGonagall’s voice.

He felt Sev raise the letter in response and could not prevent the burst of laughter than bubbled up from him. Reluctantly breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against Sev’s. “ _You_ are my family, before anyone else.”

Standing up from Sev’s lap was the last thing Harry wanted to be doing, but he knew McGonagall would have questions. The feeling of shock he was receiving from Sev was shoved back by an overpowering sense of joy after a few seconds as he stood to join Harry in front of the Headmistress.

“Are you absolutely certain this is the right clan? How many others are there? Have you contacted each of them? How did you find their precise location? Why are none of them registered with the Ministry?” Harry grinned at the barrage of questions McGonagall aimed at them.

“Unfortunately, we don’t really know anything more than you do at the moment, Professor,” he had to admit, but that could not stem the flow.

She turned to face Sev, who had wrapped an arm around Harry’s middle and threw the same set of questions at him. Harry could have sworn he saw her eyes begin to sparkle in a way very reminiscent of Dumbledore when she saw the way they were standing, but brushed it aside.

“Minerva,” Sev interrupted the torrent of questions with a wave of his free hand. “We do not have any more information beyond what is in this letter. Now, if you shall excuse us, I have a wish for some privacy.”

“Fine then, but I want you to promise me that you shall tell me the second you get any more information, even if it means you have to floo me during the night.” She held a hand up as Sev opened his mouth to respond. “I want that promise from Harry, not you, Severus; he is much less likely to try to find a way out of it if a letter arrives in the middle of the night.”

Harry grinned as Sev grumbled and rolled his eyes. “I promise that you’ll be the first we tell when the next one arrives, Professor.”

Harry’s eyes drifted up to his mate when he sensed the presence of Sev’s Veela. He knew by now how to tell the difference between when the Veela was trying to take control and when it was just there, a presence in Sev’s mind and was thankful that this time it appeared to be the latter of the two. He really did not have the patience it would take to explain Sev’s transformation to every single curious student who asked as they made their way back down to their dungeon rooms. Without even saying goodbye, Sev began to drag Harry off down the corridor, prompting what sounded like a snigger from McGonagall.

“Do not forget that you both have classes to teach this afternoon,” she called after them just before they rounded the corner.

Harry felt his cheeks turning a bright, hot red when Sev’s only response was to wave his hand as he dragged Harry through the corridor. Judging by the jabs of desire racing down the bond, they would not be eating much that lunchtime.


	32. Chapter 32

“There’s so much fuss about that stupid bloody letter and it was driving me insane. So I spoke to Sinistra and she agreed to cover any problems the students have over the weekend...” Draco trailed off as he turned around to see Link watching him with a hungry look he knew all too well. He raised an eyebrow when the look did not falter as he began to advance. “Then she transfigured me into a unicorn.” Amusement rippled through Draco’s stomach as confusion crossed Link’s face.

“What?”

“Don’t worry; I got better,” he whispered in the few seconds it took for him to bring their lips together.

The pleased hum he got in response as Link’s arms wrapped around him caused Draco to chuckle. Circling his own arms around Link’s shoulders, Draco pressed as close as he could get. He knew that he should not be pushing the limits of the restrictions like he had taken to doing – particularly because it was simply unfair to Link – but he could not help himself. Knowing that Link wanted him just as much as he wanted Link was driving Draco nuts. He had thought that being made to wait that first six weeks had been bad, but had discovered that it was so much worse when he knew exactly what he was missing out on. Disappointment drifted vaguely through the happy cloud of desire that had been building when Link pulled back.

“You weren’t listening to a word I said, were you?”

“I got the important parts,” Link protested with a smirk that caused Draco’s stomach to swirl with lust. He held up a hand and began checking off what he apparently thought of as ‘the important parts’ of what Draco had just said, raising a finger for each point. “You’re coming back to the flat for the weekend. Potter and Snape received a letter that most of the Professors are making a fuss over. Someone is taking over your job for the next few days.”

“Smartarse,” Draco muttered as he moved out of the circle of Link’s arms to grab the bag he had packed for the weekend.

“Because I can perv and listen at the same time?” Link drew Draco into a harsh kiss before grabbing a handful of floo powder. “It’s called multitasking.”

Watching as Link disappeared in a swirl of green flames, Draco had to shake his head. When he had first met Link, he had been very quiet and polite; was it possible he had had a bad influence on him? Throwing his own handful of powder into the fire, he stepped through into Link’s London flat, all thoughts of corruption and bad influences draining out of his mind as the familiar smell of the flat washed over him. This was the first time he had been back here since they had patched things up the previous month and he had not expected to be hit with as strong a wave of nostalgia as he was currently being assaulted by. His eyes drifted closed as he took a deep breath, savouring the unique scent.

“Dray?”

Opening his eyes, Draco was greeted by the very welcoming sight of his lover with his hand stretched out, drawing him towards the lounge. He allowed Link to arrange them both on the lounge – Link lying back against the armrest with Draco’s back to his front – before he spoke again.

“Tell me something –”

“Yes, those bloody jeans you’re wearing are going to be the death of me.”

Draco huffed out a laugh as he jabbed a finger into Link’s ribs. “You’d be asking for it as well.”

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry,” Link responded, immediately ruining any chance of Draco believing him by being unable to control the laughter in his voice. “What did you want to know?”

“If you’ve ever felt anything for a woman.” It was something Draco had been curious about for a while now and had decided to finally get an answer to.

“No.”

Draco waited for a few seconds, hoping for an explanation, but none was forthcoming. “‘No’? That’s it?”

“I’m gay, Draco; I thought you would have noticed that by now.” The brush of Link’s lips behind Draco’s ear softened his sarcasm. “I’ve only ever been attracted to men.”

“You were never curious?” Draco concentrated very hard on getting the words out evenly as Link’s lips travelled down his throat.

“Nope; I’m the textbook definition of a gay man, Dray.” He huffed out a laugh as Draco’s head fell back onto his shoulder to allow him better access. “Although I do have to admit that for me ‘men’ has been reduced to ‘man’ over the past few months.”

Pleasure rushed through Draco’s veins at those last words. “Just one?”

“Mmhm; he’s amazing and beautiful and smart and the sexiest bastard I’ve ever met. He’s the only one I’ll ever need,” Link murmured against Draco’s skin as he moved up to nibble along his jaw. “Now stop fishing and kiss me already.”

Draco had no idea where this new, more forceful side of Link’s personality had been hiding, but discovered that he quite liked it. Not that he would ever give up _his_ Link for anything, but being shown a side of his lover that he rarely got to see was sending little thrills of pleasure straight through him. He turned his head obediently to meet Link’s lips with a happy hum. Thankfully, the way Link kissed had not changed with that small display of dominance; those kisses were one of the things that had made Draco fall so incredibly hard for him in the first place. That thought dragged a memory to the surface of Draco’s mind: him telling Link that he liked seeing his dominant side the previous night after the nightmare he had had. The idea that Link had done this simply because Draco had mentioned that he liked it – when he had been half asleep at that – had him squirming as a rush of joy sent his head spinning. He gasped as Link’s hands tightened their grip around his waist, pulling him flush against Link’s chest and breaking the kiss at the same time.

“I love you, Link,” Draco whispered, needing to get it out in case Link decided to steal his breath away again. He could not prevent the grin that spread across his face as an idea hit him, one that would serve as a little payback for Link’s sarcasm. “And I think I may have something to confess.”

“Mmm?” Link’s eyes were glazed as he opened them to blink at Draco in question.

“Remember that Doctor Who movie with Paul McGann? The video you, ah, ‘lost’ a little while back?” Draco’s grin widened as Link’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes?” The suspicion that had entered Link’s voice nearly caused Draco to let loose the laugh that was trying to bubble up from him.

“It _may_ be hidden behind that stack of unwatched videos over there.”

Draco leant forward, giving Link room as he swore and moved off the lounge. He stood as he watched Link reach behind the stack of movies and pull out the videocassette he had hidden about three months ago now. His laughter increased at the attempted glare Link sent him.

“I’ve hexed people for a lot less than messing with my Doctor Who collection, you know.”

The familiar humour was back in Link’s eyes, telling Draco he was not actually mad. Moving so that he was standing directly in front of his now-smiling lover, Draco traced a finger down the front of Link’s deep red button-up shirt.

“I love you,” he repeated.

Link tossed the video onto the lounge before gathering Draco into his arms. “And I’m a better man for it.”

*~*

_Dear Ms Ashtoncroft,_

_Thank-you so much for taking the time to help search out any connection I could have to your clan. As you might imagine, I know very little about my lineage on either side of my family, so any information you and your genealogists could provide would be incredibly helpful._

_Unfortunately, the Daily Prophet is right: my bond with Severus is a highly unusual one. No one had any idea that I might have any kind of creature Inheritance at all, so it came as an enormous shock when we finally realised what had happened. Even after everything had settled down, we were operating under the assumption that I had only Veela blood. Needless to say, the fact that the bond hadn’t been sealed was a bit of a giveaway that something else was going on._

_It would be great if we were able to meet in person rather than exchanging letters. We would be very grateful if you were able to come here to Scotland, since travelling as the pregnancy progresses is getting more and more difficult and uncomfortable. That is, if you’re able to leave the clan; we wouldn’t want to inconvenience you at all. We have only managed to discover one small article that has anything on Wood Elves in it, so any insight your Healers can offer into anything to watch out for during the pregnancy or after the birth would be greatly appreciated._

_I know I shouldn’t, but I would like to ask a favour of you. The article that we found said that the dominant of the pair will have to make a solo journey to the clan of the submissive for their bond to be officially recognised by the clan. What I want to ask is: because I’m not officially part of any clan, is it possible to simply waive that part of the traditions? I would love to have the information on which clan my ancestor belonged to, but the fact is that having my mate here with me at the moment has to take precedence. Having Severus leave me for a few weeks while I’m pregnant is probably not the best idea, especially considering the strength of the feelings associated with being separated from him for only a few hours. I realise that it’s tradition, but I don’t see the sense in putting my body through the stress associated with not having my mate with me for a few weeks when I’m pregnant. There has to be exceptions to the rule, right?_

_I’m very much looking forward to any information you can provide on my ancestry either way. Hopefully we will be able to come to a decision on when will be suitable for all of us to meet one day soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter._

Harry stared down at the letter he had just finished rewriting. Hermione had helped him to write the draft out after the end of classes on Friday afternoon while he had been waiting for Sev to finish marking some essays and he thought it sounded quite good. Of course, he had added the paragraph about not wanting to be separated from his mate while he had been writing it up, because he was fairly certain that Hermione would tell him it was too rude to ask someone he had not even met face to face yet. Not that Harry cared whether it was rude or not, because it was the absolute truth: he did not want to be separated from Sev and would do as much as he could to make certain that it did not happen.

A jolt of uncontrollable excitement rushed through him when he reread the section about meeting in person. From what he could tell from the tiny article Sev had found and the last letter from this Catherine Ashtoncroft, the Wood Elves were incredibly secretive; so the fact that the Head of one of the clans could be willing to break that secrecy enough to meet with them must be highly unusual. Of course, it could have been simply because of the fact that he was ‘The Boy Who Lived’. That thought had niggled at him for a little while before he had decided that if there was one thing that he could use his celebrity for, _this_ was going to be it. It could work _for_ him for once, rather than against him and if Sev benefitted in the process, then all the better. The thought of his mate seemed to have the effect of bringing him up the stairs of their house towards where Harry sat in the small library, as he began to sense him as he was sealing the letter closed. Rushing to the door as it started to open, Harry grinned in anticipation.

“Harry? What are you –”

The rest of the sentence was lost as Harry grabbed two handfuls of Sev’s collar and pulled him down into a scorching kiss. It seemed to take Sev a few seconds to refocus his attention, but once he had, Harry decided that it was definitely worth it. His mate’s hands slid down his back, allowing his long fingers to grasp hold of Harry’s arse. Opening his mouth, Harry’s tongue battled with his mate’s before Sev appeared to give up and allowed Harry to slide his tongue into his warm mouth. Humming in appreciation as he tasted the strong black tea Sev preferred, Harry moved as close to his mate as he could get, moulding their bodies together as much as possible. His arms snaked around Sev’s shoulders, pulling him closer. It was rare for Harry to focus on the emotions he was receiving down the bond – because he was so used to simply reading what Sev was truly thinking and feeling on his face – but this time he decided to follow the feelings that felt as though they were prompting him into direct action.

His fingers traced lightly along the collar of Sev’s shirt, just barely brushing the exposed skin above it. The pulse of pleasure this received encouraged him and he followed up on the next almost-prompt he got: arching his back, he pressed his arse into Sev’s hands. The resulting squeeze of Sev’s hands sent a jolt of pleasure through Harry’s stomach, causing him to grin into the kiss. The grin faded swiftly when Sev pulled back a little, breaking apart with a smirk.

“I suppose you are determined to try to keep me sequestered away for the entire weekend again?” The fast beat of the pulse beneath Harry’s fingers on Sev’s neck told him that his mate was not objecting to the idea. “To use the pregnancy to convince me to cater to your every need?”

The touch of humour in Sev’s voice encouraging him, Harry leant in close enough that their lips were nearly – but not quite – touching. “Can you think of a better way to spend a cold weekend?”

The low growl he received in response had Harry grinning again as he met Sev’s lips enthusiastically. He could feel Sev moving them backwards, but chose instead to focus on drawing the best reactions from his mate. Deciding to follow through with what he had started, he turned his focus inwards, concentrating on the feelings he was getting down the bond. Once he waded through the dizzying pools of lust, he was able to recognise the prompting sensations he had been following earlier. Running one hand up to tangle in Sev’s hair and the other down to pinch one of Sev’s nipples through his white shirt earned him a deep moan. He knew that his mate did not react as well as he did to having his nipples played with – although his sensitivity had gone down a lot since the beginning of the pregnancy – but Harry figured anything he could do to bring Sev some kind of pleasure was a good thing. His breath left him in a gust when their backward motion brought his knees into contact with the seat of an armchair beside the rows of books and he sat down with a thump. Before he could object, however, Sev knelt down in front of him and with a wave of his hand, Vanished both of their clothing.

“No, I cannot,” Sev responded, his voice husky. “However, if you continue along the path you were just treading, there will not be much I can do to prevent myself from destroying whatever it was you had planned.”

Realisation of what Sev was worried about hit Harry and before he could prevent it, he began to laugh. Moving so he was on his knees before his mate when indignation crossed his face, he leant in and kissed Sev softly, amusement still bubbling beneath his skin. “I love you. That is exactly what I had planned.”

Confusion crossed Sev’s face, sending amusement through Harry’s chest again. “You wish to...?”

“Just lay down, Sev. I’ll take care of everything.”

Curiosity rushed down the bond as his mate obeyed the directions; it was not very often that Harry wanted to take full control like this. Harry knew each and every one of Sev’s hotspots – had even managed to create one over the Dark Mark early on in their relationship – but instead of simply attacking each one separately, he was going to allow Sev to direct his actions. Licking his lips as he stared down at his mate beneath him, Harry grinned; this was going to be fun.

Moving so he was hovering over Sev on all fours, he dipped his head down to nibble his way from just below Sev’s ear to his collarbone. The intake of breath this resulted in almost made Harry laugh, but he held back, in case it broke the mood. He repeated the action on the other side, this time earning himself a small shiver. Next, he moved to place his lips over the top of Sev’s Adam’s apple, sucking just hard enough to create a nice-sized bruise. From there, he trailed his lips – and teeth – straight downwards, nipping and sucking his way down Sev’s torso. By the time Harry reached his navel, Sev was breathing heavily and obviously struggling to stay still. Grinning as he skipped straight over his mate’s leaking cock, Harry bit down lightly on one of Sev’s thighs.

“Potter,” Sev growled, a touch of warning laced through the heavy layer of desire in his voice. “Do not tease me.”

The warning faded away into a groan as Harry drew Sev’s heavy sac into his mouth and sucked gently. He did not tug it away from his mate’s body, as he knew that Sev wanted to come: the jabs of lust he was getting down the bond were becoming laced with a touch of desperation. Sticking to his plan of allowing Sev to direct his actions, Harry wrapped a hand around his mate’s straining cock and slowly stroked upwards. The arch of Sev’s back combined with the huffs of breath and half-moaned words told Harry his mate was coming close. Following through on his desire to taste Sev against his tongue, Harry released the tightening sac and moved to suck just the very tip of his mate’s cock into his mouth. Glancing up as he sucked so he could see his mate’s eyes, he was shocked to see Sev’s head thrown back, exposing the length of his throat; seemingly completely lost to the sensations Harry was sending through him. His chest heaved with each breath and his hands were clenching sporadically at his sides. Harry’s free hand drifted down to grasp hold of his own throbbing cock, stroking himself in time to the hand he had on Sev. A jab of desire so strong Harry almost came early shot down the bond and he followed the feeling behind it, removing his hand and sucking Sev’s hard length into his mouth. He groaned at the salty-bitter taste of his mate on his tongue and swallowed convulsively as he tried to take more than he could manage.

“Harry, I... I’m going to...”

Harry hummed in encouragement, now desperately needing to come himself, his hips jerking erratically. Raising his head, he worked his tongue along the thick vein on the underside of Sev’s cock and gave one last, hard suck on the glans before his mouth was being flooded with his mate’s release. Sev’s hips jerked uncontrollably upwards, thrusting into Harry’s mouth as he came. It only took one more stroke on his own aching cock for Harry to follow his mate through into orgasm.

“This is definitely the best way to spend the weekend,” Harry whispered a few minutes later, earning himself a low chuckle.

*~*

Tension crept through Lincoln’s muscles as he sat in one of the newer cafes in Diagon Alley. He was being obedient and meeting with Adrian in a public place in order to keep up the required contact, but he was not too sure that it was having the desired effect. The stress he associated with each meeting with Adrian generally threw him into a mood so bad that all he wanted to do for the rest of the day was hole up in his flat watching the TV. Almost everyone else he had spoken to about this had told him that contact with their mate actually helped to improve their moods, not made them worse. That had led to him speaking to the clan Healer about the differences between what he felt around Adrian and what he felt when he was with Draco.

 _Love, you silly child_ , the Healer had chuckled in response to his questions. _You love one of them and don’t even like the other. Of course the one you don’t like would have a detrimental effect on your mood; he is taking you away from the mate you want._

That explanation made a lot of sense, once Lincoln allowed himself to think it over. His eyes drifted up from the book he was not reading to land on Adrian seated across from him. The only thing he had ever been able to sense from him down the unsealed bond was a resentment that he was sure would have been affecting his mood as well, if the bond was sealed. As it was, he could only be grateful that he could not sense Adrian’s feelings completely.

“What the hell are you staring at?”

Surprise flittered through Lincoln as he belatedly realised that Adrian had lifted his head and was glaring at him. “Nothing.”

“Pathetic,” Adrian sneered as Lincoln lowered his head to stare blankly at his book again.

Draco’s mention of liking seeing Lincoln’s dominant side had caused a realisation to hit him in regards to Adrian. Because Adrian was a full-blooded Wood Elf, he expected to be treated as a proper submissive would be in a relationship with their dominant. He wanted Lincoln to stand up for him and to him; to protect him and to make sure that he was happy and satisfied. Any full-blood would have expected the same thing out of him, but Lincoln found it impossible to give that side of himself to Adrian. It was not only because of the connection he had with Draco, but also because he had never really been used to asserting his supposed dominance over anyone. He had to suppress the strong and forceful personality traits that came along with being a dominant in order to not terrify the children he worked so hard to save each day.

Of course, that all changed when it came to Draco. It had occurred to him the previous day that he had no problem showing his dominant nature to Draco. In fact, Draco had practically demanded it of him and had seemed to revel in it when Lincoln had taken control the previous night. He had cut himself short at the heated kisses they had been engaging in – due to the three-month restrictions they were still under – but it had apparently been enough to leave Draco wanting much more. They had both agreed that Draco should probably not be with him when he met Adrian that morning, so Lincoln was left counting down the minutes before he could make good his escape and rejoin his _true_ mate.

“What the fuck is _he_ doing here?”

Lincoln was on his feet and moving to block Adrian’s view of the entrance of the cafe before he could even think about it. Draco was the only person Adrian could have spotted who could have brought about that kind of reaction and there was no way Lincoln would allow him to hurt him. He turned when he felt the touch of a hand between his shoulder blades.

“How are you?” The concern in Draco’s grey eyes sent a shot of warmth through Lincoln’s stomach.

“I’m fine; let’s get out of here.” He moved to grab hold of Draco’s wrist, but froze when Draco refused to budge. “Dray?”

“Wait here.” The annoyance in Draco’s voice had Lincoln frowning, but he could not work out what had set his mate off. “What’s _your_ problem?”

Dread caused Lincoln’s stomach to feel like it had dropped in to his shoes. He had no idea what would happen if his mates decided to come to blows; had no idea which his Elven side would try to force him to protect. He turned to see Adrian backing up, his eyes wide.

“You can’t touch me: Catherine assured me I wouldn’t be harmed when I had to put up with him.”

“ _Link_ can’t touch you; don’t think for one minute I wouldn’t defend him if necessary. _If_ you keep looking at me like you’d like to curse me, I _will_ take it as a threat and take steps to prevent you from harming either one of us.” Draco turned with a smirk to Lincoln that Adrian could not have seen.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

Lincoln reached out to grab Draco as he spun around, fire flashing through his eyes at the snarled words. His fingers brushed again the fabric of Draco’s sleeve as he twisted to avoid being caught.

“Wouldn’t I?” Draco’s hand flew to his left sleeve, yanking it up to reveal the Dark Mark still etched onto his skin. “Look at this and tell me what I would and wouldn’t do. Keep him under control next time,” he added to the security guard that had accompanied Adrian as the man stood to separate them.

Lincoln knew he must be staring with his mouth open at the display his mate had just put on, but was completely incapable of preventing it. He wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist automatically when he reached for him, allowing himself to be side-alonged back to his flat.

“I’m sorry Link, but that look he was giving you...”

Lincoln cut Draco’s words off with a kiss, putting all of the twisting, confusing emotions swirling through him into it. Draco had stood up for him in public; had seen something he considered a threat and had moved to prevent him from being hurt. His Elven side was celebrating in the back of his mind at this seemingly small victory that actually meant _so much_ to him: Draco had reacted just the same way a man with a bond would have reacted, and had apparently done it instinctively.

“Rwy'n dy garu di,” he whispered as he pulled back. “Am byth.”

The frown Draco gave him told Lincoln he must have slipped back into Welsh again accidentally. “‘Am byth’?”

“Forever,” Lincoln explained, his own smile echoing Draco’s as he pulled him in for another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rwy'n dy garu di = I love you  
> Am byth = forever


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty then! The second and third parts of this take place roughly two weeks after the first part. Figured I should let y'all know :)

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Thank-you so much for your speedy reply. It would be an honour to make the journey to Scotland to meet you both. I can assure you, it will be absolutely no trouble whatsoever: I have people who can take care of my duties as Head while I am away._

_I may have some more information to show you when I arrive, as our researchers have been following a fascinating lead. It has come from a direction I would never have thought to look in, but I suppose any information would be better than nothing. It may turn out that you have not come from this clan, as first thought. I would rather not give you too much information via letter, as it may turn out that we have been following up on a dead-end. I do not wish to get your hopes up too high, just in case._

_Our Healers are also incredibly fascinated by the prospect of meeting someone with the combination of bloodlines you have, as will your children. They have requested that I ask if it would be alright with you if they made the journey to Scotland to meet you before the birth of your child. They would like to know if your body is reacting differently to the pregnancy than a full- or even half-blooded Elf would. Of course, I understand the stresses of pregnancy myself, so I can tell them to give up on the idea if you feel you have been poked and prodded by complete strangers enough._

_As to your other question, I am very sorry, but I cannot simply waive the traditions of our people for one couple. If you wish your bond to be officially recognised by the clan, then your mate shall have to come to the Head of the clan your family once belonged to in order to make it official. Again, I am incredibly sorry, and I completely understand your desire to not be away from your mate, but it is impossible for me to waive our traditions._

_Looking forward to hearing from you again soon regarding a date,_

_Catherine Ashtoncroft._

The letter that had arrived early that morning was sitting in Harry’s pocket, folded neatly. He had practically had it memorised by the time he had made it up to the school with Sev to show it to McGonagall, obediently following through on the promise to show it to her first. She had shocked Harry by offering to house the Wood Elves in the school once they arrived, but when he had thought about it, it made a lot of sense. Her reasoning had been that as Madame Pomfrey was Harry’s regular Healer, they could confer with her easily if they were staying in the school with her. All Harry really had to do was decide on an exact date he could suggest to them.

That part, unfortunately, was proving a little difficult. He stared down at the piece of parchment in front of him, his mind completely blank. Having told Sev that he would write back to Catherine as soon as he got a free moment that day, he had expected the words to come to him easily, as they had with the last letter he wrote to her. This time, however, there were other things to take into consideration other than his desire to know more about his family. Christmas was fast approaching – only two months left now – and he did not want to have to be rude enough to kick his guests out. He also had the pregnancy to consider; he would be going on paternity leave, but he had not worked out a date for that to start, either. It would make sense for the two to intersect, which would mean the end of November, possibly. Shaking his head, he drew the parchment towards him.

_Dear Ms Ashtoncroft,_

_I think I should probably apologise for asking you to waive your traditions. I’m not used to having my Elven side prompt me into action and I believe that that is what happened when the thought occurred to me. The very idea of being separated from my mate for the length of time it takes for a proper bonding journey to be completed still gives me chills, but I know that it has to happen for our bond to be officially recognised._

_The fact that my family might not have come from your clan had never really occurred to me. I just automatically assumed that they would be English no matter what kind of creature blood they had, which is why we chose to contact you instead of one of the other clans. I know there’s clans in Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland; is it one of these your researchers think my ancestors might have come from? The article we found said that there were main clans in a few cities around the world, but we know that they have all basically cut ties with the rest of the wizarding world, much the same as the clans here in the UK have._

_I know Severus would love to be able to study the history of the clans at some point in the future and see if there’s anything that has been lost to the wizarding world that could be useful, if that’s possible. Since the clans cut themselves off from the rest of the world so long ago, maybe there’s something that you still use that he would be able to incorporate into his potions. ~~Even if there’s nothing like that, I know it would simply make him happy to be able to have access to another library.~~_

He scratched that last part out as soon as he had written it. He knew that Catherine knew that he was the submissive in the relationship, but showing it through something as instinctive as wanting to make his mate happy in any way possible still made him uncomfortable when it came to strangers. That was why he was so glad that they were both employed at Hogwarts: the wards that had been restored and reinforced after the end of the War made it damn near impossible for reporters to get to either of them, allowing them to build their life together in peace. The few who had made it through had been caught immediately by eagle-eyed students, incapacitated and brought before the Headmistress. Harry had not been involved with any of it, but knowing McGonagall’s temper, he thought the punishments would not have been pretty.

_Of course I’ll be more than willing to let your Healers take a look at me. I figure that anything that could possibly help when it comes to the baby is a good thing and your Healers would know exactly what to look for. I have been lucky enough to not have many difficulties regarding the pregnancy, except for a surprisingly bad bout of morning sickness early on. Thankfully, Severus was able to provide a potion that prevented the worst of it. Unfortunately, I’m quite used to complete strangers coming closer to me than they should, so having some do that with an actual reason will probably be a refreshing change._

_As for a date, I was hoping that the end of November would suit you. That will be close to the start of my sixth month of pregnancy and is when I was considering going on parental leave. If I am able to combine the two, it will take some of the pressure off and hopefully allow me to relax a bit more as the pregnancy advances. Sometime between the 16th and the 20th would work well, if that’s ok with you._

Harry stared down at what he had just written. He hated mentioning anything to do with his ‘fame’, but knew that it was inevitable; that he would have to stand up and face the fact that he would always be front-page news every time something happened. After all, he already knew that Catherine had been following his life through the papers. The fact that he had bonded with Sev _and_ was now pregnant to him was, of course, a news story that every single reporter wanted to be the first to break, but they had refused every offer of interviews. Not only because Harry was completely sick of being misrepresented in the media, but also because neither of them wanted for their children to have to put up with the kind of fame Harry had suffered through for half his life so far. Or the kind of infamy that Sev had been subjected to after the end of the First Wizarding War. The two of them had agreed that they would both do everything possible to not allow those leeches anywhere near their children.

Glancing over to the clock on the wall, he realised that if he rewrote the letter now – with the crossed-out part not included – he would still have enough time to make it to the Great Hall for the rest of lunch. Even if he was not hungry, he could spend some time with his mate and Hermione before having to face the rest of the day stuck in a classroom with Draco and a group of rowdy students. A small smile crossed he face as he drew out a fresh sheet of parchment. That was what his life revolved around now: spending as much time with Sev and his friends as he possibly could, and teaching the students. He could not have been more content if he tried.

*~*

Clenching his hands by his sides, Lincoln drew in a shaky breath. He knew there was absolutely nothing that could calm his nerves that day, not with the prospect of having to face Draco’s parents looming in front of him. There had been a low buzzing in his ears that he attributed to knowing that Lucius and Narcissa knew that he had an ‘official’ mate who was most definitely _not_ their son. The fact that they also knew that he and Draco had broken up because of that was also not lessening the churning of his stomach. Not even Draco’s steady presence beside him was able to soothe the trembling in his hands as they landed in the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor. He had allowed Draco to side-along him there simply to save himself from having to floo in, as he just _knew_ that he would have lost his balance stepping out, or done something equally humiliating.

“Hey, come on; you need to calm down,” Draco’s voice was soft and persuasive. “You know they already approve.”

“ _Approved_ , in the past tense,” Lincoln corrected as he flexed the fingers of his free hand. “That was before everything blew up with Adrian.”

He let his eyes roam around the mostly marble foyer; that is, if a room that was decorated in marble and gold could ever be given a label as simple-sounding as ‘foyer’. He had only been to the Manor once before – the night he and Draco had met – and that had been at night, so he took the opportunity to get a proper look around while he could.

The immensity of the house and richness of the furnishings could not have been any more different to what he had grown up with back in the clan in Cardiff and it simply stunned him sometimes that Draco could have grown up here. The first impression he had gotten the last time he had been at the Manor was of opulence that his mind simply could not comprehend. That first impression turned out to be not too far off the mark: the grand staircase that led up to the higher levels spread out before him; a gilded mirror hung on the wall off to his right where he could see what appeared to be a formal living room; to the left were more doors leading to other rooms, but they were all closed. Before he could move to get a proper look at the rooms, Draco stepped very deliberately in front of him, with just a hint of a smile on his face.

“You’re so cute when you’re nervous.”

“Don’t call me cute,” Lincoln responded automatically, returning the small smile.

“But you are.”

The words were whispered as Draco leant in to brush his lips lightly against Lincoln’s. Unable to resist, he released Draco’s hand so he could wrap both of his arms around his mate’s waist, winding them in under the thick coat he still wore. He knew the feeling of having Draco close would have the effect of calming him down a little; or, at least, it would help to calm the Elven half of him down. Pulling his mate close to his chest, Lincoln flicked his tongue out, smiling when Draco kissed him properly in response. With Draco pressed so close to him – warm and smelling tantalisingly of sandalwood – he was almost able to forget exactly where he was and why he was there. Almost.

“Have I told you how much I love you recently?” Lincoln whispered as he broke the kiss with another small smile for his mate.

Draco hummed happily, causing Lincoln’s smile to widen. “Never hurts to hear it again.”

The laugh that bubbled up out of him was completely involuntary and seemed to trigger another smile from Draco as well. Removing one of his hands from Draco’s waist, Lincoln raised it to brush some of the longer strands of his mate’s hair from his forehead so he could see his eyes properly.

“You need a haircut.”

“I have been telling him the exact same thing for the past month.” Lincoln jumped and stepped back from Draco as the sound of Narcissa’s voice drifted down towards them from the stairs. “How are you, boys?”

Lincoln closed his eyes briefly as embarrassment washed through him. It was just his luck to be busted by Narcissa even before he had officially met her. He opened them when he felt Draco’s lips on his cheek to find his mate smirking at him.

“ _Cute_ ,” Draco whispered before stepping away to greet his mother. He laced their fingers together as he turned, forcing Lincoln to move forward with him. “Good morning, Mother.”

The bright smile Narcissa offered them before leaning in to kiss Draco’s cheek stunned Lincoln: the transformation it brought about changed her from an icy queen to almost warm and motherly. All he really knew about her was what he had read in the papers and everything Draco had told him about growing up with her. He knew that she was a health freak, that she and Lucius had bonded when they were a few years younger than Lincoln was now and that she held her family’s safety above that of everyone and everything else in her life. Unfortunately, that was information that was of no use to him at that moment, standing in her foyer, holding hands with her son.

“Mrs Malfoy,” he greeted her when she turned that warm smile on him.

“Call me Narcissa, please,” she responded, holding out a hand for him to shake. “Come; Lucius is in the drawing room.”

“I _told_ you they like you already,” Draco whispered in Lincoln’s ear the second Narcissa had disappeared through a door ahead of them. He laughed when Lincoln’s only response was to roll his eyes.

They were separated, quite efficiently and politely, almost the second they entered the drawing room. Narcissa drew Draco over to one of the lounges to show him something, leaving Lincoln to be snagged by Lucius. It was all quite proper, but there was no way Lincoln was going to allow himself to be fooled; he knew exactly what was coming.

“So,” Lucius began, his hands clasped behind his back as he strolled over to the large windows that overlooked the sprawling grounds, obviously expecting Lincoln to follow him. “You appear to have ingratiated yourself with my son quite effectively once again.”

Lincoln almost had to cover his mouth to hide the threatening smile. He had known that Lucius would most likely have issues with the way in which his relationship with Draco had progressed; that he would probably have to defend himself against accusations of using Draco. He also knew that Lucius knew about his heritage and the bond that he had started to develop with Draco. The fact that Lucius had chosen to subtly hint at the point he wanted to accuse Lincoln of told him that his answer was very important to how his relationship with Lucius would play out. Allowing his dominant instincts to take over, his eyes slid over to where Draco sat on the lounge with Narcissa before locking with Lucius’s.

“I know how incredibly fortunate I am that he chose to take me back.” Lincoln did not wish to beat around the bush, even if Lucius did. Thankfully, Lucius seemed to take the hint.

“Right. Allow me to be blunt, then. What do you want with Draco?”

Lucius’s grey eyes hardened as he held Lincoln’s gaze, but there was no way he was going to be able to intimidate him. Lincoln knew for a fact that Lucius was not the one of Draco’s parents who had gifted him with the Veela blood that made this bond possible and that therefore he probably did not know how the mind of a dominant worked. Despite the quiet, softly-spoken image he projected – and his nerves about this meeting – Lincoln’s instincts were still those of a dominant Wood Elf and he did _not_ scare easily. Straightening as he offered Lucius a small smile, Lincoln took a deep breath and prepared to shut down any thoughts of intimidation Lucius may have been having.

“His happiness.” The brief look of shock that crossed Lucius’s face at that response sent a small flash of satisfaction through Lincoln’s stomach. “Draco is my mate: the only thing I’ve ever wanted was for him to be safe and happy.”

“‘Safe and happy’.” It was obvious that the words were a statement, not a question, so Lincoln merely raised an eyebrow in response. “What makes you think that _you_ are the one person in the world capable of making him so?”

Lincoln allowed a small frown to crease his forehead as his Elf tried to force its way to the front of his mind when anger flared at the perceived insult. He crossed his arms across his chest and just barely managed to prevent himself from glaring. “Is he not?”

Lucius flicked his eyes over to where Draco sat with Narcissa and Lincoln was certain he saw a sad smile flicker across his face, but it was swiftly hidden. “His happiness was all I ever wanted as well.” Lucius turned so quickly that Lincoln’s hand was halfway to his wand before he realised what he intended. He stared down at the offered hand in mute surprise. “If you are what Draco needs to be happy, then you have my blessing.” He offered a stiff smile as Lincoln cautiously grasped his hand. “However, know this: if you hurt my son again, in _any_ way, I will make certain you suffer.”

*~*

“Draco darling, come here, will you? I have received a letter that may interest you.”

Draco turned with rising alarm as his parents separated him from Link the second they entered the room. Locking eyes with Link over his shoulder as he was almost dragged across the room by his mother, he tried to apologise to his lover with only his eyes. He had thought it certain that Link would be safe from the cliché ‘what are your intentions towards my son’ routine, but apparently he had been wrong. Link offered him a small smile in return before Draco’s attention was captured by his mother.

“It’s from your Aunt Andromeda.”

“My _what_?”

“Aunt Andromeda, dear, please try to keep up.” Narcissa smiled when the insult got Draco’s attention completely. “My elder sister; she married that Tonks boy and produced Nymphadora. It got her disowned and I haven’t spoken to her since. It seems, however, that she wishes to get back in contact with us. Well, with you and I at least.”

Draco’s head seemed to spin from the influx of information. He had only ever heard the name Andromeda during lectures when he had been younger; she had been used as an example by his father on how not to behave. The only experience he had with Aunts was with Bellatrix and he had no wish for a repeat of _that_ fiasco any time soon. But then again, this Aunt had been disowned for marrying a muggle-born wizard before his parents had even graduated Hogwarts, so maybe she would be slightly more normal than Bellatrix. Bellatrix had, after all, spent a lot of her life locked up in Azkaban by the time Draco had met her.

“Why would she want anything to do with us?” Draco could not prevent his eyes from sliding over to where Link stood with Lucius, his arms crossed across his chest in a defensive posture. Unease flittered through his chest before his mother’s voice distracted him again.

“She wishes to reconnect with her remaining family and thought you and I would be more amenable to that contact now that the War is over.” She paused a few seconds and Draco heard her sigh. “Draco, it is not your duty to protect him from everything in life.”

“Mother, he –”

“Is a dominant, correct?” The soft smile she offered him soothed the annoyance at being interrupted. “Believe me, he is more than a match for your father. Lucius has never made the effort to understand the dynamic between a properly bonded couple because I have always allowed him to take control of nearly everything in our life together. He does not understand the drive to protect you Lincoln would feel, nor does he understand the kinds of feelings associated with a proper bond. He loves me, of that I am certain, but we do not have the kind of connection that it is possible for you to have with Lincoln. I know that you cannot seal your bond, but the dynamic between the two of you will be the exact same as that between a bonded couple. You will notice that Lincoln will treat you as though you were his submissive – ensuring you are happy and safe – and that is something your father simply cannot grasp.”

Draco sat staring blankly at the space between him and his mother. It had never occurred to him that Link would be being influenced by this partial bond he had formed. Glancing back over to where Link stood with Lucius, Draco came to a swift decision.

“It may not be my duty, Mother, but that doesn’t mean I won’t feel the urge to keep him safe. Even if it is only from Father.”

The wide smile that crossed his mother’s face told Draco that it was entirely possible that Link was not the only one being tested that day. “Go to him then, my dragon; protect what is yours.”

Shaking his head at his mother’s phrasing, Draco stood and made his way across the room as quickly as decorum would allow. He watched as Link shook hands with his father, who then backed away and started to make his way back towards the lounge with a satisfied smile. All thoughts of his parents flew from Draco’s mind at the sight of the bright smile Link offered him as he wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist.

“I’m fine, cariad.” The smile widened when Draco ran his hand up Link’s arms.

“You’re certain?”

Draco’s hands moved upwards to trace along the shell of Link’s ear. He was granted a quick glimpse of Link’s transformation before he felt the wash of earthy-tinted magic as Link muttered the glamour charm.

“What would you do if I wasn’t? Hex your father?”

“In a heartbeat,” Draco whispered, grinning at the burst of laughter this drew from Link. Watching in amusement as Link’s eyes danced with mirth, he knew that his mother was wrong: he would make damn sure that anyone stupid enough to hurt Link would live to regret it, no matter who it was.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is a little shorter than most of the others, but I had to clarify and mention a couple of things before the Elves get here, or else it wouldn't make much sense to those who haven't read the first fic. :)

“What the f... Mmm,” Draco hummed as the strong arms that had wrapped around him from behind twisted him around and dragged him into a deep kiss.

He had heard his floo flare and had known it would have to be Link, but had not been expecting the passion he was greeted with. Wrapping his arms around his lover’s shoulders, he gave another appreciative hum when Link lifted him up and moved backwards so he could sink down onto the lounge with him in his lap. Even then he did not break the kiss, wrapping Draco’s legs around his waist to hold him in place. Taking advantage of his unexpected fortune, Draco took the opportunity to run his hands over as much of Link as he could reach, exploring his broad shoulders and running through his dreads. They were a week and a half away from the end of the three month restrictions and Draco knew that Link knew just how much he was struggling with it. Having Link _right there_ , but being unable to go further than kisses was driving him insane and not even annoying Potter was helping to release the tension that was building up. Of course, the fact that Link had taken to displaying his dominant nature more and more often when they were alone was not helping Draco’s situation at all. Even if it was just Link being slightly more forceful than he usually would – rather than allowing his Elven side out – Draco had discovered that his fantasies these days were revolving around being taken roughly more than anything else and he knew it was due to this more confident side of his lover. He groaned and broke the kiss as an almost painful jolt of pleasure shot through him, but was prevented from moving away by Link’s hands, which spread quickly on his back, pulling him flush up against him.

“Link?” Draco managed through the fog of lust now clouding his mind. “What’s wrong?”

Link only shook his head, the grip he had on Draco tightening momentarily before he answered. “Had a shit day. ‘S much better now, though.”

Draco adjusted his position, turning his head so he could nuzzle into the crook of Link’s neck, breathing in his deliciously earthy scent. The quiet chuckle this received vibrated through Draco’s stomach, causing him to grin. He was more than content to just sit there the rest of the night before they went to bed, working out new ways to drag more of that warm laughter from his lover, but there was something niggling in the back of his mind that told him he had to probe further. He had a sneaking suspicion about just what had caused Link’s bad day, but he needed more information before he could come to a firm conclusion. He reluctantly forced himself to focus on something other than his own pleasure, knowing that it would probably not take much to work out if his suspicions were correct. The deep red button-up that Link wore was one he wore regularly to work – more so now that he knew that Draco loved that colour on him – which told him that he had come straight from work to Hogwarts. It was rare for Link to not even take the time to wash the hospital smell from his skin, but the few times he had were because of interactions with Adrian. His mind worked fast, going over the reasons Link would have for seeing Adrian before the scheduled day. Giving up when Link’s hands slipped beneath the material of his shirt, Draco simply began kissing his way along Link’s neck, helping him to relax before beginning the interrogation.

“What’s he done?” Draco’s voice was muffled against the warm skin of Link’s neck, but he knew he had been understood when Link’s hands tightened on his back again, almost as if it was a reflex he could not help.

“How did you...? No, you know what? I don’t want to know. I’ve given up trying to work out how your mind works.” Link shifted his position, laying his head back against the back of the lounge, exposing more of his skin to Draco’s lips and teeth.

“That’s it?” Draco chuckled against Link’s Adam’s apple. “You think you’re going to get away with not telling me what’s happened by claiming I’m a mystery?”

“It was worth a try.” Draco could hear the smile in Link’s voice even if he could not see it. “Gods, Dray, stay right there and I’ll tell you almost anything.”

Draco grinned and latched onto Link’s collarbone, nibbling softly for a few seconds before responding. “Come on, spill. Venting will make you feel better.”

The sigh Link gave in response told Draco that all joking was about to end and he raised his head to look into Link’s eyes. They were serious and a little sad as he stared at him, sending worry crashing through Draco’s stomach, but he stayed quiet, waiting for Link to be ready to tell him rather than pushing. He knew that if it was anything terrible then Link would not have allowed him to distract him.

“Adrian showed up at the hospital with what he termed ‘good news’ just before I finished today. Apparently the clan Harry Potter belongs to could very well be Adrian’s. Because he’s that clan’s Head Healer, he’ll be joining the group of Healers arriving here tomorrow.”

Draco could feel his mind going blank at those words. He had nearly forgotten about Harry’s problems contacting a Wood Elf clan in his happiness at having Link back, but it all came rushing back to him in a matter of seconds. He knew, of course, that the contingent Harry and Severus had managed to get in touch with was arriving the next morning – as did the rest of the school – but it had never occurred to him that it would ever include someone he had been introduced to by Link. He blinked himself back to reality when Link waved a hand before his eyes.

“Back with me?” The smirk Link sent him had Draco scowling at him, which only turned the smirk into a proper smile. “I’m not expecting him to cause any trouble, because Catherine will be there as well, supposedly keeping a close eye on him. I’ll have to get in touch with her and find out what this means in relation to the restrictions we were both placed under, since I would assume it means I’d be allowed back into society again if he’s allowed out of the clan.”

A wide smile crossed Draco’s face at the sarcasm that laced through those last words. He knew just how difficult it had been for Link to avoid contact with Wood Elves other than his family and Adrian and had made certain that Link knew just how grateful he was that he had gone through all of this just so they could be together. Especially considering Link had not known whether Draco was willing to take him back or not at the time. Nodding slowly when it became obvious that Link was waiting for a reaction from him, Draco brushed the backs of his fingers along the lines of Link’s cheekbones.

“It shouldn’t be that difficult to avoid him; it’s not like he’ll come searching for me.” The surprise that widened Link’s eyes caused Draco to raise an eyebrow at him.

“That... This doesn’t bother you? That Adrian’s going to be here?”

“...No?” Draco knew he sounded incredibly confused, but saw no point in trying to hide it.

“But –”

“Look,” Draco interrupted, needing to get what he was thinking out before he lost the train of thought. “It was never my intention to make any of this harder for you than it really should be. I know that threatening that bastard the other week had exactly that effect and that I should have controlled the impulse, but...”

He shook his head and turned away from Link’s searching gaze. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, but it seemed that he was a little tongue-tied at that particular moment. A small smile stretched his lips when Link’s fingers began tracing light patterns on his lower back.

“Dray?”

“I love you, Link,” Draco responded as he turned back to meet those violet eyes. “I knew that we’d never get rid of him; that he’d be a part of our lives forever and I’ve accepted that. The thing is, I also know that he’ll probably never let go of the idea that you were meant to be with him and him only. The only way I can come up with to avoid causing more trouble when it comes to that is for me to steer clear of him altogether. So, Adrian being here won’t be a problem, because I refuse to let it _become_ a problem; whatever makes this easier on you is what I’m aiming for here.”

Draco was prepared for the kiss that Link drew him into after finishing this little speech, as well as the level of desire behind it. He had come to expect this kind of reaction when it came to displaying any kind of loyalty to Link. It was, from what he could tell, a reaction that a lot of people with creature Inheritances had when confronted with a declaration from their mate. He had seen this kind of passion flare in Severus’s eyes after Harry had said or done something seemingly innocuous that his Veela had taken to heart. It seemed to Draco that this kind of reaction was almost impossible to control when their mate confirmed their loyalty.

_Mate_. That was something else Draco was slowly becoming adjusted to: he was Link’s mate in all the ways that mattered. It gave him a thrill each and every time Link said it, since he had never expected to have a mate of his own, due to his lack of Inheritance. Images of just how Link would react if Draco actually called him his mate flittered through his increasingly fevered mind as one of Link’s hands slipped down to squeeze his arse. Considering the kind of passion he was currently being assaulted with, he supposed he should probably leave that particular experiment until they were actually able to act on the desire that was swiftly building between them.

“Gods, Dray... You know, before I met you, I had perfect control over this.” Draco broke into a wide smile as Link pulled back and opened his eyes to reveal they had changed to the deep, glowing blue. “I’ve never known anyone else able to make me lose control of the change like this.”

“Good,” Draco could not prevent the possessive tone from entering his voice as he moved his hand to trace along the shell of Link’s pointed ear. “I’m the only one _allowed_ to do this to you.”

Draco’s insides felt like they were quivering with pleasure when this produced another warm laugh from Link. He allowed himself to be manoeuvred so he was lying on Link’s chest when he lay down on the lounge with a satisfied sigh. One of his hands moved so he could drag a couple of long dreads between his fingers for a few seconds before Link spoke again.

“Thank you.” Link smiled when Draco raised his head to meet his eyes with a small frown. “For loving me enough to put up with this mess.”

“I had no choice, Elfling,” Draco whispered as he snuggled in further under Link’s arm. “Once I’d realised what an idiot I’d been, I couldn’t just leave you to deal with him on your own; Merlin only knows what would have been left after he got done with you.”

“I love you too, Dray.”

There was laughter in Link’s voice, although what he could have found so funny was beyond Draco. He decided to simply let it go and instead settle down for a quiet night in with his mate.

*~*

“Ready to go?”

Harry levered himself up and out of the chair he had claimed as his own in the Great Hall on the second try, the pregnancy weight making moving quite awkward. He had been indulging Sev’s protective instincts for at least the past hour and waiting for the last of the students to leave the Hall, as he knew that his mate did not like the idea of him wandering the school halls with the students running around. If the glares that Sev had been shooting any student stupid enough to dare to even walk fast around Harry were not enough of a clue that he thought Harry and the baby may be injured by a clumsy student, then the subtle diagnostic charms he had felt Sev cast over him when they were alone would have told Harry just how worried Sev was about him. Even the tight smile he received as a response was telling to him as Sev rose out of his chair and followed closely behind him as they left the Great Hall: usually, Sev did not allow himself to show any kind of emotion when they were out in public.

The need to have Sev close to him that Harry had been feeling recently was getting stronger the closer it came to the time that the Wood Elves would arrive. He figured that he somehow instinctively knew that having his mate close would calm him down a little, so he had been following those instincts as much as possible the past few days. He slowed his steps so he could have a little more time with Sev before they reached their rooms, as he knew that he would fall asleep quickly, if the heaviness of his eyelids was any indication. Needing to keep himself awake, he latched onto the one topic from their dinner conversation he knew that Sev was most likely to have an opinion on.

“How much of what Draco told us tonight did you already know?” Harry asked as they slowly made their way back down to their dungeon rooms, where they had decided to stay while the Wood Elves were at the school.

It took a few seconds for Sev to respond and when he did, it was in a voice almost too quiet for Harry to hear properly. “I knew that the family money was Narcissa’s, but I did not expect to hear that she had stood up to Lucius. She is not of a confrontational manner and her creature blood makes it difficult for her to stand up to Lucius in particular. However, her maternal instinct has always been incredibly strong and any threat to Draco will apparently cause her to act, even if that threat has come from her mate. The fact that Lucius was stupid enough to threaten to try to get Draco fired just because he thought that it was beneath him to be teaching would have been more than enough for Narcissa to act, but then he threatened to show up at the school.” Sev shook his head, a disbelieving look on his face. “I have known for quite a while that Lucius Malfoy was not as street-smart as he would like everyone to believe, but he really should have known that threatening to actually take action against his son would result in something like this. He is intelligent enough, but his instincts when it comes to his son are completely off.”

Harry allowed himself to smile at that as the memory of Narcissa’s voice in his ear in the forest asking after Draco flittered through his mind, quickly connecting the threads of what Sev had just told him. “So her bond with Lucius is one-sided, right? Does that mean that he doesn’t have the connection with her that she would have with him?”

Harry knew that having a one-sided bond was the one thing that had worried Sev about when they had bonded – and that his lying about the bond being sealed had nearly gotten him rejected – but he was curious about the bonding process and figured that Sev was the one person he knew who would know everything about it. Besides that, anything that could allow Harry to listen to that deep bass voice was a good thing, he figured. Sev’s voice was one of the few things able to relax Harry completely and being this close to having the Elves arrive, his nerves were jumping a little.

He offered up a broad smile to a timid-looking student as they passed him in the passageway that led towards the corridor that held the potions classroom. The fact that the whispers that had followed he and Sev around for the first couple of months of school had died down a bit had lightened Harry’s mood considerably. He was now at the point where he could quite happily brush off any whispers he heard from the students, rather than scowling and scaring them. His attention was grabbed by Sev’s smooth voice as he responded.

“The bond Narcissa shares with Lucius _is_ one-sided, yes. Before your side of our bond was sealed, you could still sense my strongest emotions, correct?”

“Definitely,” Harry responded with confidence. “I could always tell what kind of mood you were in, but there was never anything beneath it.”

“Well, Lucius does not even have that much of a connection with Narcissa; their bond is truly one-sided. Even someone with as small amount of creature blood as Draco has would receive _something_ if they were to find themselves bonded to someone, but as Lucius has no creature blood at all, he cannot have the same kind of connection with Narcissa as we have. Why do you ask?”

Harry glanced up into the black depths of his mate’s eyes and smiled at the true curiosity he saw there. “I was just wondering, because they always seemed to have _some_ kind of connection. I just thought, after learning that she had Veela blood, that the reason for that would be because they were properly bonded.” He shrugged as they turned the corner into the corridor that the potions classroom opened onto, stalling for time as he tried to sort out exactly what it was he wanted to ask. “Narcissa putting restrictions on how much money Lucius is able to withdraw from their account, screening his letters and setting a house-elf to follow him around kind of goes against what I know of Veela behaviour towards their mate. Wouldn’t her Veela side prompt her to follow whatever Lucius wanted?”

“In most cases yes, but it seems that the threat to her son overrides her fear of rejection from her mate. I believe that was what gave her the strength to defy Voldemort as well; all Veela have strong parental instincts.”

Harry could not have prevented the wide smile from crossing his face even if he had wanted to. He stopped in the middle of the corridor and grabbed hold of Sev’s hand, drawing him closer. The slight resistance he felt in Sev’s movements only caused his smile to widen further, as he had known that his mate would resist being drawn into a kiss in the middle of a Hogwarts corridor, even if it was deserted. He resisted the urge the defy that resistance and kiss Sev senseless in the middle of the corridor by sheer force of will and settled for a display of what he was feeling that was a lot less overwhelming for his mate.

“I chose my mate well, then.” Standing on the tips of his toes, Harry placed a soft kiss on Sev’s lips before drawing back a little. “You’ll make a brilliant dad, Sev.”

The embarrassment that rushed down the bond matched the blush that spread across Sev’s cheeks as he turned to continue down the corridor without a word. Harry refused to allow him to let go of his hand until they reached the doorway of the classroom, where he turned his mate around to face him. Focussing in on the feelings he was receiving down the bond, Harry smiled when he felt the embarrassment turning to smug contentment. Despite his own need to voice what he was thinking and feeling most of the time, he knew that Sev much preferred to sort through things himself before showing his emotions to others, even to Harry himself. He also knew just how excited Sev was about this baby; that it was something that his mate had wanted his entire life. Harry knew for a fact just how fantastic a father Sev would be and very much enjoyed the rush of gratitude and happiness whenever he voiced that opinion, so he saw no reason to hide what he thought.

Sev ran a hand along the small of Harry’s back; the movement reminding him of just how tired he was. This was a technique Sev had developed to help Harry sleep the past few months, as the weight of the baby was causing an almost constant ache in his back, making it difficult to fall asleep on his own. Shaking his head as he wondered when Sev had realised how desperately he needed sleep, Harry had to suppress a yawn as he allowed Sev to pull him through the classroom to their rooms. Harry stopped and pulled Sev into his arms as soon as they were inside the door, resting his head against his mate’s chest.

“Harry, if you are that tired, perhaps you should just go to bed.” There was a touch of humour to Sev’s voice as the hand that was on Harry’s back started to move again, sending pleasurable jolts through him.

“No, I’m not that tired.”

Harry knew that Sev could see straight through the smile he offered him, but was stubbornly determined to stay as close to his mate as he could get until he was forced to sleep. The feeling of safety he got whenever Sev was near was actually helping to stop his nerves over what was going to happen the next day from overwhelming him. He was used to the feeling of needing Sev close by now, but it had been an unexpected surprise when he realised that having a mate could be a form of stress relief. _If only I had claimed him sooner_ , he thought as he settled himself down under Sev’s arm on the lounge. _Maybe everything would have gone much smoother over the past year_. The soft massaging of his lower back ensured that that was the last coherent thought Harry had as he slowly fell asleep snuggled up in the safety of his mate’s arms.


	35. Chapter 35

It was absolutely impossible for Harry to be able to control his nerves the next day. He was sitting in the Head’s office with McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey, his heart beating wildly as they waited for the delegation of Elves to arrive. The fact that McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey had agreed to wait for the Elves with him actually helped to calm him a little, but he still felt as though he was going to lose what little he had been able to force down for lunch. They had tried talking to him, but had given up after the only response they had received was a tight smile and a nod of Harry’s head. Of course, Sev had attempted to keep him calm that morning, but there was only so much he could do, because he had classes to teach; he would be joining them after school let out for the day. The flare of the floo sent Harry’s nerves jumping again and Harry himself to his feet to stand beside McGonagall.

“Ah, good afternoon, you have to be Harry.”

The woman who stepped out of the floo was nothing like what Harry had imagined Catherine Ashtoncroft to look like. The tone of her letters had put him in mind of McGonagall: tall, severe-looking and mostly humourless. The woman before him, however, was a little shorter than he was, had greying dark blonde hair and glowing green eyes. There was a twinkle to those eyes that Harry thought he would never see from someone like McGonagall, which marked the difference between the two of them more than anything else for Harry. He offered up a small smile as he stepped forward to grasp the hand that Catherine had offered.

“So pleased to meet you, Catherine; I’ve been looking forward to this very much.” The words sounded stilted to Harry’s ears, but they produced a smile from Catherine which set him a little more at ease.

“As have we, Harry. Allow me to introduce you to the rest of my little group here.”

There was no way Harry would have referred to the dozen or so people who made their way out of the floo as ‘little’, but he figured to each his own. He had no idea how he got through the round of introductions without confusing the names of the mess of people who stepped up to him as they came out of the floo. It put him in mind of the rush of people who had come up to congratulate him during the aftermath of the final Battle when all he had really wanted to do was get up to the hospital ward and wait for Sev to awake. He let out a small sigh of relief when it got down to the last two people: a blonde woman with what appeared to be almost manic energy and a man who was glancing curiously around the room.

“Hi, I’m Lucy,” the woman introduced herself with a wide smile. “You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve been looking forward to this: your mix of creature blood is so fascinating! I’m the underling to Adrian here, who is our Head Healer. Ever since Catherine told us about you, we’ve been fascinated by the idea of mixing Elven and Veela blood and what the result would be, haven’t we, Adrian?”

The man behind her jumped a little as she nudged him in the ribs. Getting a good look at the man for the first time left Harry a little stunned. He had not been expecting to ever find anyone other than Sev attractive again, but he found himself struck by just how good-looking this Adrian was. Not that the curly brown hair and bright blue eyes were Harry’s type at all, but he could appreciate a good-looking person just as much as the next man.

“So you two’ll be the ones experimenting on me, then?” Harry tried for a smile when Adrian’s eyes fixed on him for the first time with a look that he could not interpret.

“Haha, yes, that’s me: Lucy Wainwright, mad scientist!” Her energy almost reminded Harry of Tonks, with just that little bit of manic thrown in for added flavour. “Well, I’ll leave the two of you to get acquainted.”

The smile Harry offered her in response felt a little panicked as he thought of being stuck with the strange man in front of him for Merlin knows how long. However, he gathered his courage and followed along behind Adrian as he moved off towards one of the lounges away from the rest of the chattering group. He knew that since this man was the Head Healer, he would have to know a bit about Harry before they started with their tests on him the next morning and so figured that there was no real harm in getting to know him a bit better. The strange, uninterpretable look entered Adrian’s eyes again as Harry placed his hand on his swollen belly while sitting down on the lounge. Harry frowned as worry flashed through him, but as there were no real alarm bells going off, he put the feeling down to his own cautiousness when it came to his family.

“So,” Harry started with an attempt at cheerfulness. “What exactly is it you would like to know?”

“Are you properly bonded with your mate?” The strange look intensified when Harry rubbed a hand along the small of his back. “You managed to snare Severus Snape, correct? Intriguing man; I’ve followed his work for years.”

“I, er... yes. His bond to me was sealed back in May, just after the end of the War and we managed to seal mine about two and a half months ago. Why is that important?”

The alarm bells were beginning to sound in the back of Harry’s mind, as he could not see how his bond with Sev was any of this man’s business. His skin was starting to crawl with the heat he associated with worry and fear as Adrian’s glowing blue eyes fixed onto him with an intense fascination he had not seen from anyone else before. Unable to help himself, he glanced over his shoulder to where McGonagall sat talking to Catherine. He was fairly certain that under normal circumstances, he would be more than capable of defending himself if Adrian attempted anything, but considering his current state, he thought it not such a good idea to even try. The reassuring look he received from McGonagall told him that she was keeping a close eye on him, which was strangely comforting: if he could not have Sev there, then he knew McGonagall was probably his next best bet.

“Oh, having a properly sealed bond will actually help with the pregnancy,” Adrian replied, forcing Harry to turn back to him. “Being able to have your _true_ mate there will not only calm you, but he will be able to offer support that no one else will be able to, since he can sense your emotions and act accordingly if you begin to panic, or something similar. That’s why you need to be absolutely certain that the bond is sealed properly. He _can_ sense your emotions, right?”

Relief flooded through Harry’s veins at that last question: of course Adrian was only asking because of the danger to the baby! _He has got to know more about Wood Elf physiology than you do; you’re being paranoid. This man isn’t a threat to either you or your bond. You know Sev loves you; he would never betray that trust. He is one of the most faithful people you have ever known and you trust him. You. Are. Being. Paranoid._

“Yes,” Harry responded after the mental scolding. “He’s been able to sense what I’m feeling ever since his side of the bond was sealed. And I’ve been able to sense his emotions for the past two months as well. Before that, I only had the vaguest of sense of what he was feeling.”

“Hmm.”

That was not a response Harry had been expecting, but it seemed to be all he should expect. Adrian shot him yet another one of those indecipherable looks before excusing himself and moving off to stand beside the overly enthusiastic woman he had arrived with. Harry had only a few minutes to attempt to work out just what had happened – and what he had said wrong – before he was joined on the lounge by Catherine.

“Did I insult him somehow?” Confusion was now rushing through Harry’s mind as he went back over what he had said, as well as the tone of his voice. Maybe there was some kind of unconscious signal that he had made that only another Elf could read? “All I did was tell him about my bond with Sev, I swear.”

The wide smile Catherine offered him in response sent a warm reassurance through Harry’s stomach, easing the alarm that had started with the weird looks Adrian had been shooting him. “I believe that I should probably have had a quiet word to you alone before I allowed Adrian to speak to you,” she began, her glowing green eyes drifting over to where Harry knew Adrian stood with Lucy. “He has had a bit of a rough time recently – mostly of his own doing, but he would not admit that to anyone – and I believe that he sees Severus as a way out of certain circumstances he has found himself in. Adrian has had a crush on Severus since he first read an article on him years ago, before he qualified as a Healer. He is fully aware that the two of you are as bonded as you can get and that Severus is not free to pursue a relationship with anyone else, but I think he may have been holding onto a small sliver of hope. He has not displayed any violent tendencies and everyone here will be keeping a close eye on him, so there should be no reason for you to worry about him at all.”

Harry knew that the words were meant to reassure him, but the only real effect they had was to cause his heart to stutter in his chest a little. _He’s after my mate?_ He glanced down at himself, then over at Adrian. _How the hell am I supposed to compete with that?_ Smiling and responding politely to everything that was said to him for the rest of the afternoon on autopilot, Harry tossed the idea around in his mind that he would have to fight for his mate. There was absolutely no question in his mind that he _would_ fight for Sev and fight dirty if he had to. By the time the door from the staircase opened to admit his mate late that afternoon, Harry had come to the conclusion that unless Sev gave him a solid indication that that was what he wanted, there was no way he was letting anyone else have him.

“Sev!” Harry called out, gesturing that his mate should join him and Catherine where they sat by the fire.

“Harry.” The sound of Sev’s voice combined with his closeness had the effect of relaxing a lot of the tension in Harry’s shoulders and he was gratified to sense the same reaction in Sev.

“Sev, this is Catherine,” Harry waved a hand towards Catherine, who smiled in response. “Catherine, this is Severus.”

“Ah, your elusive mate, Harry. So pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Severus; we have heard a lot about you.” Catherine smiled at Harry as she shook Sev’s hand: he had been unable to stop himself from bragging about his mate during the afternoon when Adrian had not been within earshot.

“Likewise; it feels as though we have been searching for you for a long time.” The amusement Sev eyed Harry with had him blushing a little, as he realised his mate must have worked out just what Harry had spent the afternoon doing.

“Yes, I fear we owe you both an apology for the mix-up. Not one of our genealogists were aware that the line Harry is descended from had survived, let alone thrived.”

“So they have been able to discover where this ancestor came from?”

Harry glanced between the two of them, exasperation at both being left out of the conversation and that they seemed to be dodging around the subject causing him to frown. He could not help the sarcasm that escaped him when he responded to Sev’s questioning look. “So incredibly sorry to spoil the mysteriousness you two seem to think is necessary, but I would like answers sometime tonight.”

“My apologies, Harry,” Catherine grinned at him, the expression making her look much younger than Harry knew she must be. “I have picked up the incredibly rude habit of attempting to read people’s emotions as I speak with them. It does tend to distract from proper conversation.”

Harry glanced up to Sev when he felt a warm hand insinuate itself behind him and relaxed into the touch with a small sigh. He knew that it was as much of an apology as Sev was comfortable giving in public and moved to rest his hand on Sev’s knee. When it felt as though they were both as relaxed as they could be under the circumstances, he looked at Catherine expectantly, eagerly awaiting what she was about to tell them.

“Roughly two hundred years ago, the Wood Elf clans in Britain were going through a time of great turmoil. There were wars being fought over reasons that have been lost to time. Many people were needlessly killed and just as many simply disappeared without a trace. There was one man who was connected with our clan; your ancestor, Harry. He was the Head of the clan at the time and as such, had to make some incredibly difficult decisions. You see, our clan had come under attack from a nearby clan, one that no longer exists due to the decisions this one man made.”

Harry was thankful for the comforting hand at the small of his back as he stiffened in slight horror at those words. “He wiped out an entire clan?”

“They all did, Harry; it was not just him. We all know it takes much more than one man to start a war, but he certainly did his part. The man’s name was Alfred Potter and he was a full-blooded Wood Elf. He was a quite powerful wizard, having been the only child of a couple of bonded men, just as your own child will be. He had been voted into the position of Head of the clan as soon as the war looked like it was coming our way, apparently because the previous Head was unwilling to allow the rest of the clan to fight. He got us through the war, helped many of our clan to survive the nearly impossible odds, but was exiled almost immediately after the war ended. You see, the Elves of the time had come to realise the pointlessness of the war and were in need of someone to blame. The Head of the clan often takes the blow for the actions of the rest, so Alfred Potter took the blame for the casualties that resulted due to the war.”

Harry took the opportunity to ask one of the many questions flooding his mind when Catherine paused to take a sip of tea. “So what you’re saying is that this guy, Alfred Potter, is the one who gave me my Wood Elf genes. If he was the Head of your clan, then why did you say that I might not have come from it?”

“This is where things get complicated. Generally those who have been exiled cannot join another clan. Everyone knows when another has been exiled, as the Heads of the clans tend to be close, even during times of war. The new Head – my ancestor – let every other clan know that Alfred had been exiled. We can only assume that one of the reasons was to prove that the clan was heading in a different, more peaceful direction. The complication here is that he _was_ accepted into another clan once he had found his mate. She was a quarter-blooded Elf who was a member of the Newcastle, Australia clan who had been travelling through England when they met. They recognised their connection immediately, waited the requisite three months and sealed their bond. Alfred journeyed over to Newcastle without much more ado and received not only the blessing from the Head of her clan, but also acceptance into the clan for himself. When he arrived back in Britain they moved into a small cottage in the Scottish Highlands and began to reproduce. Their Wood Elf blood was obviously diluted over the years and forgot. Neither ever returned to Australia and our clan assumed he had never found his mate.”

The apologetic look she shot Harry only caused him to become slightly confused, as he could not see a problem: he could be part of either clan, so of course he would choose Catherine’s. Thankfully, Sev appeared to have grasped the situation.

“So what you are saying is that no one knows which clan Harry belongs to, as he technically could be from either. My apologies, but would you be willing to explain how you normally decide which clan a child belongs to if the parents belong to two different ones?”

“Normally they belong to the clan of the submissive partner, which in this case would be our clan –”

“Whoa, hang on! Sorry, but in a straight relationship the _man_ can be the submissive? How does that even work?” Harry knew that he was incredibly sheltered when it came to most aspects of sex and relationships, but that part really did not make any sense to him whatsoever. He turned and glared as he heard Sev chuckle.

“Let us just say that it is possible and leave it at that, shall we?” Knowing he was not going to get a proper answer out of either of them, Harry merely huffed and turned back to Catherine, who quickly hid a smile.

“As I was saying, if we went by the normal standards, then you would be a part of our clan, but as Alfred stayed in exile his entire life, technically he was no longer a member of our clan. As for his mate’s clan, we have contacted them, and they have a birth record of this woman, Caroline. She apparently left the clan when she was a teenager, never to return. The only other record they have of her is when Alfred arrived to get the Head’s blessing for their bond. They do not count her as being a part of their clan.”

_Well, that’s frustrating. Why can my life never be simple?_

“Catherine, if both of them were not technically part of a clan, does that mean that this could just come down to whichever clan is willing to accept Harry as being one of their own?” Harry sent the strongest wave of gratitude down the bond he could muster; Sev had just voiced almost exactly what Harry had been thinking.

“I have spoken to the Head of Caroline Potter’s clan and he has told me that they are more than willing to accept you into their clan, Harry. However, it must be said that we would be honoured to have you as well. Both clans have agreed to leave the decision up to you.”

The sincerity in Catherine’s voice made the decision for Harry: he was going to accept her offer. He stood with a small sigh and tugged Sev to his feet. “Thank-you for the information, Catherine. Would you be willing to let me think about it overnight?”

“Of course; that is one of the reasons we are here, after all. I am afraid you will be besieged by my Healers for much of the day tomorrow. Perhaps you could give me an answer tomorrow night?”

“That would be perfect.” Harry turned to look into Sev’s eyes, silently asking if it was alright if they left.

“We shall see you tomorrow night, then,” Sev added with a small smile for Harry.

A troubling thought occurred to Harry as they were saying goodnight to the rest of the room and he was thankful that Sev allowed him to walk in silence, as it gave him time to sort through exactly what it was that was confusing him. _I’m not like them. I’m not a full-blood anything and I don’t act or react the same way to everything as they do. Is there something wrong with me?_

“Sev?” Harry frowned a little as they entered their rooms. “I’m not a normal submissive, am I?”

“ _That_ is what you are so confused about?”

“Well, yeah, what else would I be confused about?” Harry glanced up as he entered their bedroom, unable to help the look he shot Sev, who was staring at him incredulously.

“I would have assumed the fact that you apparently have two Wood Elf clans quite eager to have you join them would take precedence over whether you are a ‘normal’ submissive, Harry.” The sarcasm heavily laced through Sev’s voice made Harry smile, despite it being directed at him.

“Oh, please! I’m not letting you get away from me for any longer than absolutely necessary. I’m sorry, Sev, but I’m not sending you to Australia.”

Harry dropped his shirt to the floor as Sev entered the room and moved to wrap his arms around Sev’s neck after stepping out of his trousers. Revelling in the feeling of having his mate pressed against his bare skin, Harry grinned as he let himself be backed into the post of their bed, Sev’s mouth hungrily devouring his. He could not help the laugh that escaped as he went over the conversation in his mind.

“You didn’t really think I would want that other clan after everything Catherine has done for us, did you?”

“I have learnt to never try to guess at your actions over the past few months.”

Harry’s smile widened as he moved out of Sev’s grip so he could lie under the warm covers. Anticipation lit up his nerves as Sev Vanished his robes and joined him in the bed, but he suppressed it in order to get the answers he wanted.

“Which brings us back to my original question: I’m not normal, am I?”

“You are... _unusual_ for a submissive with a creature Inheritance.” Sev ran a hand down Harry’s front, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine.

“I knew it.” He rolled over so he was facing his mate, needing to see his reactions. “Kingsley said I wasn’t acting like a submissive, Mrs. Malfoy was giving me strange looks; even Fleur was looking at me weird. Is... Is there something wrong with me?”

“ _No_ , there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. A full-blooded submissive is submissive in every aspect to their dominant: they agree with everything, have no opinions of their own and simply allow their mate to take care of every aspect of their lives.” The light trace of Sev’s finger along Harry’s jaw line was almost enough to distract him from his line of questioning.

“So, if I was a proper Elf, or even a Veela, then I would have changed when the bond sealed?” He frowned as mild disgust pooled in his stomach. He was unsure if Sev was right about the Wood Elf part of that statement, but he could not bring himself to care at that moment.

“Partially; they retain their personalities around everyone, except their mate. No matter how desperately I wanted to find my mate, I now know that having a proper submissive would have driven me insane. What I have craved my entire life was a partner, someone who would challenge me, not agree blandly with everything.”

Understanding lightened Harry’s confusion almost completely at that declaration: he could not see Sev happy with anyone who allowed him to simply walk over the top of them. Desire pooled in his stomach, pushing away all other feelings as he ran his hands over as much of his mate as he could reach.

“Love you, Sev.”


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should probably warn for cheesy dialogue here... :/

Hands clenching spasmodically at his sides, Lincoln paced in front of the fire in his flat. Fear had been causing his skin to prickle and nausea to rise in his stomach ever since he had arrived home from work that afternoon. The reason was simple: he had told Draco that for the first night Adrian spent at Hogwarts, it would probably be better if he did not sense Lincoln there at all. At least, that was what he had assumed; that it would be better for him, better for Potter and – most importantly of all – better for Draco. What he had not expected was for his dominant instincts to kick in as hard as they had that afternoon. His Elven side wanted to be near his mate; to make sure he was alright and that Adrian had not approached him at all. Because Lincoln was denying it that reassurance, it appeared to have assumed that something was wrong and had been trying to take control completely for the past hour.

“Damn it,” he growled as he threw himself down onto the lounge, scrubbing his hands over his face as yet another wave of dread flooded through him. “You _have_ to learn to control this! He’s a grown man who can look after himself; he’d contact you if anything went wrong.”

_But what if he can’t? What if Adrian tracked him down and no one there knows how to contact you? Adrian certainly won’t tell and Catherine and Lucy don’t know who Draco is..._ It was the idea that Adrian would not hesitate to injure Draco somehow that finally forced Lincoln to come to a decision. Standing quickly, he grabbed a handful of floo powder and, without a second thought, threw it into the fire.

Draco’s quarters were cold when he arrived, but he put that down to the fact that the castle itself was freezing this close to winter. A quick glance around told him that the only light source was coming from the bedroom; the wavy light of a candle rather than the steadiness of a wand tip. He covered the distance in a few hasty strides, anxious as he was to find Draco safe and well. The sight that met him took his breath away. Draco was seated on top of the covers, clad only in a pair of deep green pyjama pants, a book in his lap and smirk firmly in place. The right-hand side of the bed – Lincoln’s side – was turned down, almost as though he had been expected.

“I was wondering how long it’d take you.”

Draco had time enough to set his book aside before Lincoln pounced on him. Straddling his mate’s slender hips, Lincoln tangled a hand in the fine strands of Draco’s hair and pulled him into a harsh kiss. It was filled with all the fear and worry he had felt that afternoon and had Draco responding immediately. Lincoln’s tongue entered Draco’s mouth the second he opened, exploring enthusiastically as his mate hummed encouragement. He set his free hand to exploring Draco’s back and chest, partially because it gave him pleasure to feel that soft skin beneath his fingers and partially because he _had_ to check that Draco was alright. It had surprised Lincoln that Draco had come out of the War with no serious battle scars, especially considering the kind of damage he had seen when the casualties had started arriving at the hospital. But the only scars Draco had were extremely faint slashes across his chest that had been so expertly Healed that only another Healer would have been able to recognise the signs. The thoughts were pushed aside as Draco broke the kiss and sucked in a huge breath.

“As much as I enjoy the enthusiasm, Elfling, I do need to breathe occasionally.” The humour in Draco’s slightly breathless voice took the harshness out of the words, causing Lincoln to grin.

“Sorry,” he gasped, only now realising that he was in desperate need of air himself. “I – uh –”

“I’m fine, Link; he didn’t come anywhere near me.” Lincoln merely sat and stared into Draco’s solemn grey eyes, trying to discover whether he was telling him the truth. “I’d never lie to you, especially about something this important.”

A warm smile crossed Lincoln’s face as he saw the sincerity in his mate’s eyes. “I know.” Due to the serious turn the conversation had taken, Lincoln’s smile widened as a way to lighten the mood occurred to him. “Those pretty eyes of yours are a bit distracting at times, though.”

Lincoln’s breath hitched again as Draco stretched beneath him, arching his back so Lincoln had the perfect view of his muscles moving as he stretched them. The grin Draco shot him told him that the distraction had maybe worked a little too well.

“You know, being irresistible is such a burden sometimes...” Draco let out a loud yelp and collapsed back onto the bed in helpless laughter as Lincoln dug a finger into his side.

“That overconfidence is going to bite you on the arse one day,” Lincoln shot back, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice as he rolled off his mate onto his side of the bed.

“Hmm, that’s somewhere I haven’t been bitten in... oh, a good three months now.” Draco was obviously _not_ attempting to stop his laughter, especially when he saw that his words had caused a deep red blush to spread across Lincoln’s cheeks. “C’mon, strip. You shouldn’t be the only one who gets to perv before bed.”

Still fighting against the blush that felt as though it had started from the very depths of his chest and now covered the entire top half of his body, Lincoln swiftly divested himself of everything but his boxers. He had lost most, if not all, of the uneasiness he had had about wandering around in front of Draco naked – or nearly naked – a while back and now did not second-guess the actions. Of course, the hunger that always lit Draco’s eyes as he watched Lincoln undress had helped push those feelings away faster than anything else would have. Smiling to himself as Draco blew the candle out, he slipped between the covers and lay on his back, waiting for Draco’s weight to land on top of him. He did not have to wait long.

“Thank-you,” Draco whispered before brushing his lips lightly across Lincoln’s. “No one else has ever worried about me like that before.”

Lincoln’s reply was swallowed as Draco kissed him properly, not that he had any idea of exactly how to respond to something like that. Instead, he simply allowed Draco to take any kind of comfort from him that he needed, running his hands slowly along the muscles of his mate’s back. By the time he broke the kiss, Draco was so relaxed on top of him that he wondered briefly if his mate had simply fallen asleep. A small nip to the corner of his mouth and a quiet sigh told him Draco was still awake, but probably only just. He rearranged them so they were both comfortable, with Draco’s head resting on Lincoln’s chest.

“Dray?”

“Hmm?”

“You _are_ irresistible.”

Draco’s warm laughter vibrating through his chest was the last thing Lincoln remembered hearing before sleep claimed him.

*~*

Harry woke early the next morning, worry prickling his skin. He had been unable to bring himself to speak to Sev about the man he had met yesterday, expending the excess energy on pleasuring his mate instead. Certain that Sev would not wake up naturally for quite a while – another reason he had chosen sex over talking the previous night – Harry slid out of the bed as quietly as he could manage. He dragged on a pair of boxers as he made his way out to the living room, lowering the strength of their bond as he moved. The warmth of the fire was a welcome change from the cold, damp dungeon and he got as close to it as possible without injuring himself.

“Ok,” Harry muttered after he had warmed up a bit. “Ok, you need to think this through rationally. Just because that guy has a crush on Sev _doesn’t_ mean that anything’s going to happen. You know Sev loves you: he has proven that over and over again. You should show him the same kind of loyalty and believe that he would never betray you like that.”

Needing to move, he began to pace in front of the fire, wringing his hands in front of him. _Rational thought has never really been your strong suit. That’s what Hermione’s so good at; you’re really more action-oriented._ He snorted when it occurred to him that there really was no action he could take that could fix this little problem. _You’ve already proven that you can’t hold onto him by simply offering sex, so you’ll have to believe that the bond is strong enough between you that he wouldn’t want anyone else._

“Oh, this is ridiculous; you’re being stupid!” He stopped his pacing to fold his arms on top of the mantelpiece, his head coming to rest on top of them. “Sev would never betray you like that: he’s your mate. Adrian is not a threat to you or your bond. This worry is completely irrational. He is not a threat. _Not_ a threat.”

Harry’s worry spiked when he sensed Sev coming near to him. He had completely missed the signals indicating that his mate had awoken and now had no idea if he should be happy or scared that he had. What if he told Sev what he was worried about and he laughed? Or, worse still, got sick of how needy he had become due to the pregnancy hormones and simply left? What if –

The thoughts were cut off the second Sev wrapped his arms around Harry’s stomach and nuzzled into his hair. The vague sense of happiness and desire that filtered down the lowered connection put a halt to a lot of Harry’s worry without Sev having to do or say anything else. Swaying slightly as an unbelievably strong sense of relief rushed through him, Harry tilted his head back, searching for his mate’s lips. The sense of security he got from the arms wrapped tightly around him caused guilt to slither slowly through beneath his relief which, in turn, caused the worry to spike again. Realising he was caught up in a never-ending cycle, he made the snap decision that he was going to trust what he could sense down the bond for the time being and opened it up to its full strength again. He curled himself into his mate’s embrace as he felt him sink down onto the lounge and lay his head on Sev’s shoulder.

“Harry –”

“It’s nothing, Sev. I’m being stupid.”

He had absolutely no wish to admit what he was thinking and hoped that by burying his face into the neck of the warm dressing gown Sev wore, he could distract him long enough that he did not ask again. The sigh he received in response was laced through with relief as well as a small amount of exasperation. It caused Harry’s hands to clench in the collar of the robe, but he forced himself to relax, little by little, by taking deep breaths of the deliciously spicy scent that always surrounded his mate.

“Who is not a threat, Harry?”

Harry’s shoulders tensed again at the question, but he knew just how difficult it was to force Sev to let go of something once he got hold of it. “You’re not going to drop this, are you?” He sighed when Sev raised an eyebrow at him in response. “Fine, but I’m warning you, you’re not going to want to believe me.”

Leaning back so he could look his mate in the eyes, Harry smiled when he felt Sev’s arms tighten around him. It was this more than anything else that Harry clung to when these kinds of thoughts invaded his mind: the feeling of absolute safety he got when Sev held him like this. The fact that he felt a rush of relief down the bond when Sev placed his hand on Harry’s belly and was promptly kicked by the baby only added to the sense of safety.

“If something has happened...” The danger in Sev’s voice caused Harry to smile as he leant in to cup his mate’s face.

“No, no, that’s not what I mean. I’m fine; the baby’s fine, I swear. It’s just... There’s a Healer Catherine brought with her yesterday. She took me aside and warned me that he might cause a bit of trouble, but said I shouldn’t worry about him; that he knew you were...” Harry found his words strangled to a stop when he had to admit to his worry. It was impossible to prevent the blush that formed on his face when Sev looked at him with growing confusion; it appeared as though he was going to have to admit it aloud after all.

“That I was what?”

Harry groaned and buried his face into the crook of his mate’s neck. “With me.”

It was unclear to Harry whether Sev had even heard him at first, as he did not appear to have reacted in any way. Turning his focus inwards, he searched for what Sev was feeling instead, knowing that it was impossible for his mate to hide that from him. The sense of total shock and confusion he got was completely unhelpful to him as he buried his face further into the neck of the dressing gown. A small, involuntary noise escaped him when Sev stayed silent.

“Harry?” The softness of Sev’s voice seemed to have a reassuring effect on Harry’s creature side, causing some of the shocks of worry to subside enough that he raised his head to meet his mate’s eyes. “From the second I realised you were my mate, I have known that I could never even consider thinking about another man. I love you, and there is no one else on the entire Earth who could change that.”

The relief that flooded through Harry’s veins was so overwhelming that the only reaction he could consider having was to brush his lips against Sev’s. He had known the action would most likely cause his mate to kiss him properly – which was what he had been aiming for – but when Sev drew Harry’s bottom lip into his mouth with his teeth and began to nibble softly on it, the relief started to make way for a strong desire to taste his mate in another way.

“Thank-you. I’ve been trying to fight against the urge to lock you in here away from him since yesterday afternoon.” The grin this received helped to cement Harry’s decision on what he was going to do next.

“You believe you could force me to stay locked up in here?”

“I know exactly how to keep you here for as long as I want to.”

Harry latched onto the pulse at the base of Sev’s throat, revelling in the lingering musky smell of their night together that still floated between them. He could feel Sev’s hands slowly making their way down his back, but he knew exactly what he wanted that morning, and it did not involve Sev’s hands being inside his boxers. Nibbling his way down his mate’s chest, Harry hoped the movement would be enough to prevent Sev from attempting to grope him. When it seemed to not have any effect on Sev’s intentions, Harry slapped the hands away from him.

“Harry.”

He grinned at the sound of his name being said in a half-moan, half-admonishment. “Not today. Just relax.”

Sliding off his mate’s lap, Harry placed his hands on the underside of Sev’s thighs, knowing that they were sensitive enough to get a reaction out of him. The combination of the light touch of Harry’s fingers with the tracing of his tongue down Sev’s stomach seemed to have the effect that Harry was aiming for: Sev’s breath hitched before beginning to come in sharp gasps, his legs fell open wider and he let out a deep moan. Needing to hear it again, Harry huffed hot breath over the hard head of his mate’s cock before moving downwards to nibble at the join of Sev’s hip and thigh. This time the moan was accompanied by the tangling of Sev’s long fingers through Harry’s hair, causing him to chuckle.

Needing to taste his mate, Harry moved to suck Sev’s tightening sac into his mouth, but released him after only briefly swirling his tongue around a couple of times, afraid that Sev would come way too soon. White-hot desire shot through him, clouding his mind as he took deep breaths in preparation for what he wanted to try. He was aware that Sev had groaned something – and that he had responded – but he had no idea what it was, distracted as he was. Wrapping one of his hands around Sev’s cock, Harry hummed happily as he licked the trail of pre-cum that had been dribbling steadily downwards. The arch of his mate’s back had Harry chuckling as he slid his hand slowly along the swollen flesh in front of him. Licking up and down Sev’s shaft for the next few minutes – giving him pleasure, but not enough to be able to come just yet – Harry listened carefully to the noises his mate was making, waiting for the signs that would tell him Sev was coming close. He willed Sev along as he flicked his tongue along Sev’s slit, tasting the leaking pre-cum; he knew he would not last long. His hand wrapped tightly around the base of Sev’s cock the second he heard the strange little hitch of breath that indicated Sev was very near to orgasm. Locking eyes with his mate, Harry sucked him into his mouth, trying to even his breathing out so he could manage it. The second his mouth hit his hand, he had to fight off the urge to swallow and cause Sev to come. He knew it would not take much, but he wanted this to be special. Moving his hand to Sev’s hip, he slid down slowly, careful not to choke himself. He could feel Sev’s hands clenching into the fabric of the lounge beside him as his lips hit flesh again and Sev hit the back of his throat. Still not breaking eye contact, Harry swallowed, enjoying the look of steamy desire that lit Sev’s eyes.

“H-Harry.”

The warning in Sev’s voice was all Harry needed, and he rapidly moved back up, only just barely able to begin swallowing properly as his mate shot thick jets of cum down his throat. He milked Sev for everything he had, massaging his balls and humming in pleasure as it seemed to produce just that little bit more. Breathing heavily as Sev softened in his hand, Harry fell backwards and thrust his hand into his boxers, desperately seeking the release he needed. He came with a shout after a few short strokes and collapsed back onto the hearthrug behind him. The last thing Harry’s happily fuzzy mind remembered for the next little while was the hungry look Sev was shooting him as he attempted to recover somewhat.

*~*

Waking slowly the next morning, Draco kept as still as he could, not wanting to wake Link any earlier than he absolutely had to. Carefully reaching over to the bedside table, he waved his wand and watched as the numbers 4:15 flashed through the air. It had become a habit of his to wake early the nights he spent with Link, mostly because it gave them at least a few minutes together before having to face the stressful day. He allowed a small smile to cross his face as he turned back and his eyes fell on his lover, still sound asleep. Link’s eyelashes – surprisingly pale compared to the rest of his hair – created small half moon shapes on his cheeks as he slept, one of his hands was clenched in the top of the blanket and the other seemed to have fallen on the sheet, stretched out towards where Draco lay. He knew it was highly unlikely that Link had reached for him in his sleep, but the idea sent warmth pooling in Draco’s stomach, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. His fingers twitched with the need to brush one of the wayward dreads from Link’s face, but he knew that would only wake him up, which was something Draco avoided doing as much as possible. Knowing how late Link was up last night – almost to the exact minute – Draco knew he would need all the sleep he could get.

Fighting back the urge to touch his lover, Draco did a quick mental count. _It’s the 21st today, which means... Ten days left._ Excitement lit his nerves on fire: ten days until they were free of Link’s obligation to Adrian, _ten days_ and he could finally satisfy this burning desire he felt building every time he was anywhere near Link. A small noise broke him from his thoughts.

“I can feel you staring at me.”

The humour in Link’s voice caused Draco to smile, despite the fact that Link had not yet opened his eyes. “Stop giving me something to stare at and I’ll stop.”

The deep chuckle that Link gave before moving swiftly to hover above Draco caused desire to pool, hot and needy, in Draco’s stomach. His breath sped up as he hardened quickly and he felt surprise flitter through him as he also felt a blush spreading across his cheeks: it was a wonder he had enough blood left in the top half of his body for a reaction like that. The fact that Link had not lowered himself on top of Draco was very telling to him and did not make his situation any less difficult. He had become very well acquainted with his hand again over the past three months and was beginning to desperately wish that he could invent a spell that sped time up, or could simply transport him ten days into the future.

“Dray...”

One of Link’s thumbs brushed softly across Draco’s lips, followed quickly by his lips. The kiss was soft and sweet and only caused Draco’s need of Link to increase. He did not pull back, however, as he was more than willing to endure a little discomfort for his lover. _Masochist_ , he scolded himself as his cock throbbed in his pyjama pants.

“Gods, Dray, I’m so sorry,” Link gasped as he broke the kiss. Desire was laced thickly through his voice as he lowered his head to rest against Draco’s and ran a hand seemingly absent-mindedly up his ribcage.

“Ten days, Elfling,” Draco responded in a voice that he was certain held an equal amount of unsatisfied desire.

“Mmm. I should go shower before I...” _Do me_ , Draco’s mind supplied as Link paused to take an unsteady breath. “Go to work.”

Not trusting his voice, Draco simply nodded. He had to hold back a small whimper as Link left the bed, knowing that such a reaction would have only been unfair on Link. The second his lover had closed the door of the bathroom, Draco plunged his hand into the top of his pyjamas, grasping hold of his hard cock. His other hand reached blindly for the lube he kept in the bedside table as he stroked himself dry. The whimper that had been threatening finally escaped him as he managed to get his hand lubed up and ran it in a long stroke up his cock. His back arched in pleasure and his head fell back against the pillow as a deep moan escaped him. The knowledge that Link was doing the exact same thing in the next room sped Draco along, images of what he must look like rushing rapidly through his mind. It did not take long before he could not hold on anymore and he spurted hot streams of cum over his hand that soaked into his pyjamas. Stroking himself as his body spasmed over and over again, he became aware of a slightly hollow feeling in the middle of his chest.

It was so incredibly _unfair_ that he and Link had to follow through with this ridiculous three month ban on sex, as everyone knew that Link and Adrian would never be able to seal their bond. He cast quick cleansing and refreshing charms on himself as he heard the shower switch off. Scrambling out of the bed, he grinned at the slightly sheepish look Link shot him when he emerged from the bathroom, looking a lot more relaxed than he had when he had entered.

“You’re still staring.”

Draco moved to drape his arms over Link’s shoulders, his grin widening when Link continued the previous conversation as if they had not both just succumbed to their baser desires. “You’re still not giving me a reason not to.”

This dragged a quiet chuckle from Link as he wrapped his arms around Draco’s middle, pulling him close. “I’ll have to work on that.”

“No, don’t,” Draco whispered as he tightened his hold on Link’s shoulders, simply holding him instead of trying to kiss him this time. “You’re perfect just as you are.”


	37. Chapter 37

Muscles twitching with nervous energy, Harry carefully sat up on the hospital bed he had been lying on. The past few days had taken a real toll on him physically, not just because of the tests the Elves were running on him, but also because of Adrian’s continued presence at Hogwarts. He knew in the back of his mind that it was impossible for him to ask Catherine to send him away because he was the Head of the Healers; that knowledge, however, did not stop him from _wishing_ he could ask her to do just that, though.

“So, it’s our last full day here.”

Harry held his breath and forced the sharp jab of worry down as he gathered his courage and met Adrian’s glowing blue eyes. “Yes. Have you gotten what you needed?”

“Well...” A strange look crossed Adrian’s face as he tilted his head, staring at Harry with a small smile. “I’m sure I will at some point.”

Heart racing, Harry stared after Adrian as he moved away to speak to Lucy. He was getting thoroughly sick of worrying about something that Sev thought would never happen, but there really was nothing he could do about it. If it was possible to stop his Elven side from thinking that Adrian was a threat to his bond then he would, but as it was, every time Sev was mentioned, worry and fear pierced through him.

“Ok, so if we just run this last scan, it should be all we need to know.”

Harry’s head snapped up at the happy sound of Lucy’s voice to the left of the bed. She grinned down at him, her perpetual cheeriness almost breaking through his concern. He nearly managed a small smile back, but the sound of Adrian’s voice coming up to the opposite side of the bed stopped him from reacting to her.

“Do you think we’ll get to meet that fascinating mate of yours before we leave?”

His insides slowly turning to ice, Harry simply sat and stared at the calculating look in Adrian’s eyes. He had managed to avoid letting Adrian meet Sev so far and he had absolutely no intention of changing that. There was no way he was going to allow anyone to take his mate away from him, no matter how rude he may seem in the process.

“He’s, er, really busy with classes at the moment,” he almost stuttered out around the lump of fear forming in his throat, thankful that he did not have to lie: right at that moment, Sev was teaching the combined seventh- and eighth-years. “Being so close to Christmas, there’s a lot going on.”

“Oh, I’m sure you can fit an introduction in there somewhere, right? I would love the opportunity to get to know him better.”

Unable to repress it any longer, Harry gasped as a wave of anxiety crashed over him. His usual reaction of pushing it to the back of his mind did not work this time in the face of his almost certain knowledge that this man was after his mate. A vague sense of concern reached him down the bond, but by that time Harry was too focussed on Adrian.

“He’s _my_ mate,” he stated as plainly as he could, not wanting for there to be any confusion.

Adrian’s glowing blue eyes flashed with something Harry could not identify as he leant in close under the pretence of checking one of the charms. “We both know that just because you’re bonded, it doesn’t mean there’s a real relationship there. He deserves someone smarter, someone who can match him in intelligent conversation; someone who has never hurt him by lying about something as important as a bond. _I_ can provide that, whereas _you_... cannot.”

Pain flashed through Harry’s chest as the words hit home. There was a part of him that completely agreed with what Adrian had said. However, there was also a much larger part of him screaming at him to curse the bastard into next week. How _dare_ he suggest that Harry was not worthy of his mate? That Sev was only with him as a temporary solution until someone better came along? And the idea that Adrian could provide everything that Sev needed better than Harry could himself... If he had not just been stunned by the mere suggestion, Harry would have laughed. He almost jumped as Adrian’s eyes lit up and he moved off towards where Harry knew the door to the hospital ward was. Twisting as best as he could to get a look at what had distracted him, Harry was flooded by the heat and slight nausea caused by the strongest jolt of jealous anger he had ever felt: Adrian was standing in front of Sev, blocking his entry into the ward. He could feel his creature pushing its way to the front of his mind as he slid off the bed and moved as fast as he could to stake his claim the easiest way he knew how.

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a while –” Adrian’s words were strangled to a stop as Harry wrapped a hand around his throat.

“Get the fuck away from _my mate_ ,” he snarled, putting all his anger behind the words. Squeezing his fingers just enough so that Adrian would be having trouble breathing, Harry felt surprise flitter briefly through his mind as he realised he had managed to call his claws out.

“Adrian! What have you done?” The sound of Catherine’s voice was not enough to distract Harry as his eyes searched out his mate, seeing what his overloaded mind thought was a flash of desire as they locked eyes.

“All I was –”

“ _My mate_ ,” Harry repeated, allowing his top lip to curl in disgust. “I waited three years for him: you’re _not_ taking him away from me.”

His nerves jumped as Sev took a small step towards him, unable to prevent a small trickle of doubt from creeping up his spine. _What if Adrian was right? What if Sev is getting sick of me? Should I just let him go?_

“Severus, be careful. I know you are bonded, but that is no guarantee he will not hurt you, as well.” Catherine’s voice broke through Harry’s thoughts, low enough so that he could only just hear her.

“I shall be fine; he will not harm me.” Harry kept his eyes locked with his mate’s as he watched Sev move close enough to him to brush his fingers across the knuckles of the hand Harry held around Adrian’s neck. “Harry...”

Harry could not help the stiffening of his shoulders as Sev seemingly made to stand directly in front of Adrian. Doubt assailed him again as his creature interpreted the action as meaning Sev wished to protect Adrian from Harry’s hold on him. The light brushing of Sev’s fingers across Harry’s did not stop as he slowly moved closer and it actually helped to prevent Harry from tightening his grip. A mild sense of relief washed through him when Sev changed direction in order to wind up standing beside Harry, rather than in front of the two of them.

“Sev?” Harry hated the uneasiness in his voice, but he could not help it.

“Let go, love; he is not worth it.”

Deciding to trust the warmth and reassurance he saw in Sev’s eyes, Harry released his grip of Adrian, allowing him to slide down to the floor of the hospital ward with a strangled gasp of air. Taking his mate’s hand, Harry stepped over the wheezing Elf and moved off towards the door, needing to be as far away from Adrian and this mess as he could get.

“You bastard.”

The absolute hatred in Adrian’s voice seemed to snap something in Harry’s mind. He spun around, pointed his wand and cast _Furnunculus_ at him, surprised when it seemed to knock him out. It took only a second for him to realise that Sev had cast something as well, but by that time the overwhelming need to escape had taken control of him. Turning on his heel, he marched out of the hospital ward, unsure if his mate would follow him.

The second Harry was out of the hospital ward, all of his worry and fear returned full-force. Sev had _not_ followed him into the hallway, making him wonder exactly what he could be doing in there. The self-doubt Adrian had stoked in Harry’s mind reared again, causing a confusing mesh of pain, guilt and remorse to crowd him. The sound of footsteps quickly approaching him reached Harry’s ears and he closed his eyes, both desperately hoping it was his mate and desperately hoping it was _not_ , as he did not want Sev to have to put up with him when he was like this.

“Harry.” Sev’s fingers brushed against Harry’s in an obvious attempt to grab hold of his hand, sending panic jolting through Harry’s chest.

“Don’t,” he snapped much more harshly than he had intended. He snatched his hand away, not wanting to burden his mate with his worries. “ _Damn it!_ I’m sorry, Sev, but... not here.” He saw Sev flinch out of the corner of his eye as he turned to continue down to the dungeons as quickly as his bulk could manage.

The silent trip down to their dungeon rooms gave Harry all the time he needed to convince himself that Adrian had been absolutely correct: he was not worthy of his mate. Sev had been through so much during his life, he deserved to have someone who could actually make him happy, not to be stuck with someone who had done nothing but make his life miserable. He knew it was very possible for them to separate without any ill consequences, as long as they kept up regular contact. As far as Harry could tell, it did not even have to be physical contact, if that was what his mate preferred.

His guilt driving his actions, Harry moved into their bedroom the second he made it to their rooms. Despite sinking down onto the edge of the bed and holding his head in his hands, he was aware that Sev had not followed him. Again. That knowledge told him that the decision he was on the verge of making was the correct one: he would release Sev of any obligation he felt to him or their child, allowing him to find someone better for him. A small noise sounded from the doorway, causing Harry’s muscles to tense even further. It did not take long before Sev had knelt down in front of him and tugged his hands from his face. Harry, however, refused to meet his eyes, knowing it would just make things worse.

“Harry,” Sev began, but Harry interrupted, deciding to just get it over with.

“I don’t deserve you, Sev. You need someone who won’t hurt you like this all the time; someone smarter, who’s worth the effort.”

“ _No_.” The harshness of that one word surprised Harry into meeting his mate’s eyes, finding a fierce determination there he had never seen before. “If you ever try to tell me you are not worth the effort required to make this relationship work again, I shall be forced into taking some drastic measures. I know exactly how hard you have worked to break me out of some of my old habits and you cannot tell me that if we had no bond, no Inheritance to deal with, that I would be worth that amount of effort. I also know that a Wood Elf bond is just the same as a Veela bond in many aspects; that if you wished for this to be a bond in name only, then that is exactly what we would have. The fact that you have chosen to be with me – chosen to put up with every little quirk, annoyance and abnormality that comes along with that decision – is nothing short of a miracle to me. I love you, Harry, and will never want or need anyone else.”

The emotions surging down the bond matched the sentiment of what Sev had just told him, causing the familiar sense of security he often got from his mate to envelope Harry once again. Overwhelmed by the sensation, Harry expressed it in the only way he could: grabbing hold of the shoulders of Sev’s robes, he hauled him up onto the bed. Moving as quickly as he could, Harry straddled his mate and drew him into a possessive kiss, putting everything he was feeling behind it. Sev’s arms wrapping around his back to pull him as close as he could increased the safe feeling blooming in Harry’s chest, causing him to moan into the kiss. Needing the friction, Harry ground their hips together, pleased when he felt his own sharp jabs of lust echoed down the bond. Not wanting to break the contact but needing to voice his worries, Harry gently eased himself up and away from Sev’s lips, smiling when he realised Sev was about to object to the action.

“Promise me something, Sev.” Harry continued to roll his hips, keeping up the friction they both obviously needed.

“Mmm.”

Sev’s glazed eyes met Harry’s as he maintained the steady rocking of his hips. He could feel Sev’s cock hardening with each roll of his hips, causing a giant lust monster to begin to unfurl in Harry’s stomach.

“Promise me you won’t go to Newcastle.” The request was whispered as Harry leant down to start sucking on the pulse pounding away in Sev’s throat.

“Mmm.” It seemed for a few seconds that Harry had gotten away with his request, knowing that asking when Sev was this distracted would be the best tactic. Unfortunately, it appeared that Sev was not quite as distracted as Harry had hoped. “Harry –”

“I love you, Sev. You’re all I’ve ever wanted and I know that that’s enough for me. I don’t need to be a part of any clan. I don’t need for someone to recognise we’re bonded for it to be true. All I need is you.”

Keeping his hips in the same steady rhythm, Harry continued to create the huge hickey on Sev’s throat, hoping that that would be the end of the conversation. He knew that Sev was on the verge of completely losing control of his desire and he aimed to make that happen quickly, so it came as a shock when Sev gathered him into his arms and scooped him up to lie down on the bed properly. Knowing he had lost this particular part of the battle, Harry allowed his legs to fall apart in silent invitation.

“Do you trust me?” Sev had sat back on his heels, obviously trying to control his breathing as he stared down at Harry.

“Of course.” Harry frowned, wondering where Sev was going with this.

“But not when it comes to this Healer?”

This caused all of the guilt, shame and anger at himself to surge to the forefront of Harry’s mind again, but he pushed it aside in order to reassure his mate. “No, I trust you completely. However, I can’t stand having _him_ anywhere near you. I don’t know him, I don’t trust him and I don’t want him close to you, no matter the circumstances.”

Watching as Sev lowered his gaze, Harry had to wonder just exactly what his mate was thinking. The emotions flowing down the bond were usually useful in helping him to work out how to react to something Sev had said or done, but this time it was as if he had finally managed to discover something that stumped even his mate. He was just about to sit up and reach for him, when Sev’s head snapped up to meet Harry’s eyes, a strong determination blazing in the black depths.

“Harry –”

“No, Sev, don’t try to change my mind. I don’t want you to go; I don’t trust him.” Harry knew that meeting Sev’s determination with his own was the only way to get his own way on this, so he kept up the eye contact, putting every ounce of his will behind it.

“Harry –”

“It’s enough that I know which clan I belong to. You’re all I need, Sev. If our kids want to get a blessing for their bonds, if they have them, then they can, but it’s not necessary for us, is it?”

Harry pushed Sev down onto his back and lay on top of him again when it became apparent that he was not going to stop trying to change Harry’s mind. Resuming the rocking of his hips, Harry let out a small sigh of pleasure when Sev did not object.

“If you continue to interrupt me, Potter, then I shall have to gag you.” The pleasure did not last long, as Harry felt Sev’s long-fingered hands locking onto his hips, stopping the rocking motion. “Is there any way you could picture this conversation coming to an end that does not involve me giving in to your every demand?”

His hips jerking in an automatic attempt to re-find the friction he had just lost, Harry leant in towards his mate. “There’s only one demand I want satisfied at the moment.”

The lust shooting through him only got stronger when Sev hauled him upwards and lay him down at the top of the bed again. He began to pant openly in anticipation as he found himself naked with one swipe of Sev’s hand. Having no idea of what his mate was planning for him only increased the desire pounding through Harry’s veins and he could not help crying out in pleasure as Sev leant down to suck his aching cock into his hot mouth completely. He bucked upwards, unable – and unwilling – to control his actions. The need to come built up in him swiftly as Sev’s hand trailed light touches up and down his side, then moved down his body to cup his tightening sac, massaging slowly. He was aware of the embarrassing noises he was making, but could do nothing to prevent them as he got closer to the peak of his pleasure.

“S-Sev... I, I’m,” was as much of a warning Harry could manage before Sev pressed a finger to his perineum, sending him over the edge into one of the strongest orgasms he had ever had.

He had no idea how long it took, but when Harry’s eyes eventually cleared, it was to see Sev staring down at him, desire writ plainly in his eyes. Harry stretched his hand out, silently inviting Sev to lie down next to him. The kiss he drew Sev into when he was close enough was just as hot as if Harry had been ready to go again himself. Magic washed over him and he felt Sev’s robes Vanish beneath his hands. Without waiting to be asked or told, Harry reached for Sev’s throbbing cock, intending to return the favour, but the action was stymied by his mate’s hips jerking backwards out of his reach.

“Sev?”

The question was as far as Harry got before witnessing Sev’s transformation: the enormous wings spread out behind him, his hair lengthened and his eyes shifted to a shimmering silver in the space of five seconds. Harry shivered as he met his mate’s shining eyes, seeing a hunger there strong enough to take his breath away. He could sense something different this time as Sev leant in to place his left hand on the back of Harry’s neck, holding him in place as his right hand began exploring his body. Unable to resist, Harry drew him into a kiss as Sev’s hand trailed slowly down his belly. It was this contact that gave Harry the final clue he needed: the sense of Sev’s Veela side was stronger now than he had felt since their first night together when Sev’s bond had been sealed. He was seeing Sev’s true Veela form for the first time in months.

“You are _mine_ ,” Sev growled possessively as he pressed a finger into Harry’s entrance.

Head swimming once again with desire, Harry wriggled on the finger impaling him, enjoying the sensation. “Yes.”

The smile Sev shot him when he moaned as the finger was thrust deeper caused Harry’s stomach to swirl with desire. “You will never belong to anyone else.”

“No.” Harry pressed down on the finger, taking it deeper.

“Tell me.” The addition of a second finger had Harry’s breath stuttering in his chest.

“Yours, I’m yours; no one else’s.” Harry could hear the whimper in his voice, but did not wish to suppress it.

“And I am yours.” Sev squeezed the hand on the back of Harry’s neck as he added a third finger and brushed them all against Harry’s prostate.

“Gods, Sev,” Harry moaned, staring up at his mate in wonder.

“Say it.”

“You... are mine.” The command in Sev’s voice finally had Harry’s spent cock twitching in interest again as the hand on the back of his neck gently squeezed.

“Yes, Harry,” the roughness of his mate’s voice caused Harry to gasp as the fingers were removed and he was rolled over onto his side. “Yours and only yours.”

A deep moan sounded behind Harry as he sensed the Veela retreating a little; it was obviously still there in the front of Sev’s mind, but appeared to have given Sev control back. The feathers that wrapped securely around Harry as he felt his mate pressing slowly into him caused the sense of safety to crowd into his overloaded mind beside the crashing waves of desire flowing through every part of him.

“Sev,” Harry gasped as a hand wrapped around his hardening cock at the same time as his prostate was brushed, his nerves singing with desire.

“Talk to me, Harry. Tell me.”

“Tell...? _Gods_ that’s good... Tell?” Harry’s mind was too fogged with lust to work properly for him at that moment.

“I... am... _yours_.”

The joy that swarmed through Harry at the almost growled declaration blurred his vision for a few seconds. It seemed as though Sev was doing everything he could to give Harry as much pleasure as he could stand: aiming for his prostate, nibbling on his shoulder, stroking his leaking cock and running his free hand over the base of Harry’s neck whenever he spoke. He had no idea why that last felt so good, but he was in no state to question it.

“Yes; only mine.” The emotions pelting Harry down the bond told him that Sev was nearing completion just as fast as Harry was himself. Needing to encourage it, he threaded his fingers through the silky feathers in front of him, knowing it would help to bring about Sev’s orgasm. “Yes, Sev... Please, please, I n-need... need to come...”

One last hit to Harry’s prostate was all it took to drag his orgasm out of him, splattering Sev’s hand, his belly and the feathers in front of him with thick jets of cum. A deep moan in his ear was all the indication Sev gave before Harry’s insides were also coated with hot cum. The sense of _right_ Harry got from his mate down the bond caused him to roll over to draw him into a harsh kiss.

“ _Mine_ ,” he snarled as his Elf took over for the briefest of seconds.

He could feel himself biting down on his mate’s lip; could taste the blood on his tongue as he marked him. It was something that Catherine had warned Harry about a few days before: that most people with a creature Inheritance would mark their mates somehow. It was apparently a completely natural expression of their bond, but it had the effect of disturbing Harry as he came back to his senses. The both of them had permanent scars from the War, so Harry saw no reason either of them should have another one. Closing his eyes as he concentrated his small amount of Veela magic, he Healed the mark he had made on his mate’s lip when Sev pulled back.

“Harry? I would wear it proudly if it kept you happy.”

Unable to stop himself, Harry dragged his fingers through the lengthened hair that fell over Sev’s shoulder as his eyes refocussed. “I _am_ happy, Sev, now more than ever. I don’t need a visual reminder of what I have. I’m sorry I’ve been acting like such an idiot recently. I never doubted you, not once, but when he started talking about you like that... I just lost it completely. All my old fears about people using me just because of that fucking prophecy surfaced again and I couldn’t hold it back anymore. Forgive me?”

“There is nothing to forgive, love. If I had not dismissed your worries as summarily as I did then you would not have been as stressed as you wound up this afternoon. We are both at least partially to blame for what happened to that impudent bastard in the hospital.”

“Wish I’d thought of something more painful to curse him with.”

Harry smiled as Sev leant in to lightly brush their lips together. The wave of exhaustion that crashed over him as he settled into his mate’s embrace was not really surprising to Harry; he just wished that it was not quite so strong, as he would have liked to be able to enjoy the feeling of being held like that for a little while longer. A strong feeling of love rushing down the bond as Sev settled properly next to him – adjusting their position so they were both comfortable – had Harry smiling sleepily into his mate’s shoulder.

“Love you, too, Sev.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so anyone who hasn't read the first one and doesn't want spoilers probably shouldn't read this bit.
> 
> This was the last chapter before Christmas in BILYYI, and I'm planning on doing a couple of chapters in between this time, but I need opinions. After the Christmas chapters in BILYYI, Severus went off to Newcastle. Since I don't want to copy and paste his chapters from BILYYI, I was considering doing that chapter from Lucy's POV, since she spent most of the time with him, and inter-cutting it with Harry's POV back in Hogsmeade. I figured that'd be the easiest way to get around the copy/paste problem if no one objected :)


	38. Chapter 38

Lincoln knew that there was something incredibly wrong the second the jolt of combined anger, fear and resentment hit him down the partial bond he shared with Adrian. Sitting on his lounge in front of the television, he had been waiting for Draco to step through the floo so they could spend the weekend together, away from everyone else. They only had three days before they were free from his obligation to Adrian and Lincoln intended to take full advantage of it when the time finally came. Surging to his feet when the emotions did not stop pounding down the bond, he was about to throw a handful of powder into the fire and step through directly into Draco’s rooms, but the fire flared to green life before he had time.

“Professor McGonagall?” Lincoln stared down at the head of the Hogwarts Headmistress in his floo, fear for his mate causing his hands to tremble and his heart to race. “What’s happened? Is Draco alright? How did you find me?” He stuttered to a stop at the sight of the quelling glare she shot him.

“If you will allow me to explain, you will discover that Draco is perfectly fine.” Lincoln knelt down in front of the fire so he could hear her better, biting down on his tongue to stop himself from interrupting her with questions. “That is much better. Now, I am led to believe that Adrian Taylor is the other man you find yourself bonded to?” Biting his tongue again so he did not correct her phrasing this time, Lincoln merely nodded. “In that case, I believe you should hear this in person. Please step through.”

Lincoln took a couple of seconds to attempt to calm his Elven side – which was both objecting to being spoken to like he was a child and panicking over Draco – before stepping through the open floo connection. The sight that greeted him on the other side of the connection did absolutely nothing to help quiet the thumping of his heart in his ears: Catherine Ashtoncroft stood next to McGonagall in front of the Head’s desk and the two of them were staring at someone sitting in a high-backed chair in front of them. Despite the fact that the person in the chair was hidden from his sight, Lincoln knew it was Adrian and that he must have done something incredibly stupid, possibly verging on illegal. The emotions thrumming down the bond had only increased with the closer proximity, making it impossible for Lincoln to ignore them.

“Ah, there you are Lincoln. Good, come over here, please.”

Dragging his gaze from the back of the chair over to meet Catherine’s eyes, Lincoln took a deep breath and allowed his dominant instincts to the front of his mind. He knew that he was among friends here – mostly – and that he could safely allow his Elven side full rein, but held it back for the time being. Closing the space between them in a few quick strides, he offered McGonagall a tight smile before giving Catherine his full attention.

“What has he done?” He could hear the tightly controlled anger in his voice, despite his best efforts to hold it back. The look that flashed between the two of them told Lincoln to brace himself for the worst.

“You recall that Harry Potter and Severus Snape have bonded?” McGonagall waited for him to nod before continuing. “And you are obviously aware that Potter has discovered that his ancestors came from the Newcastle clan?” Again she waited for him to acknowledge the statement, an action that Lincoln found incredibly irritating under the circumstances. “Well, Mr. Taylor here has been the Head Healer in charge of the tests that have been run on Harry for the past week. There has been a small amount of friction, but nothing to worry about. Until today, that is.”

Lincoln could not help glancing over to Catherine, only to see her face as hard and controlled as McGonagall’s. “Please tell me he hasn’t harmed him.”

“No.” The sympathy in McGonagall’s voice caused Lincoln’s nerves to jump. “Not physically, anyway. I am incredibly sorry to have to be the one to break this to you, but Adrian tried to break the bond between Harry and Severus earlier today.”

The blood drained from Lincoln’s face as a stark horror settled in his stomach. Attempting to break a bond – sealed or not – was one of the worst crimes it was possible to commit in the Wood Elf culture and was punishable by anything Catherine could think of, excluding death. The set of Laws that had been put in place in the aftermath of the Civil Wars that had devastated the Wood Elf clans were drilled into every child’s head growing up, whether they went to an Elven school or not, meaning Adrian had no excuse. Not that Lincoln believed that there was an excuse anyone would accept for attempting to break another’s bond, especially considering that Adrian had tried to do something very similar to him and Draco nearly three months prior. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in an attempt to hide everything that was rushing through him, knowing it was possible for nearly everyone to read him. There was no way he was going to be able to hold everything back, but he also knew that having what basically amounted to a tantrum was not going to be helpful either.

“Are they... Has he...” He stopped to take a steadying breath, finding it almost impossible to prevent his voice from shaking with anger.

“They are fine; Severus and Harry have an incredibly strong bond for two who have only recently managed to seal it.” Catherine’s voice was low, her anger showing through despite the obvious control she was exerting over herself. “What we need from you right now is permission to go to the Head of your clan to work out how we shall deal with this in regards to your bond.”

“Even if I _could_ seal it, I’d refuse,” Lincoln spat out, glancing over to meet Adrian’s eyes.

It was obvious that Adrian was being held to the chair by magical means, but that did not stop him from struggling against the bonds. He met Lincoln’s eyes with a loathing equal to that which Lincoln could feel coursing through his own veins, obviously struggling against an incredibly powerful Silencing charm. He had not suspected that there could be the kind of mania lurking beneath the surface of Adrian’s mind that he could see clearly displayed in his wild eyes now and found himself gripped by an unbelievably strong sense of relief that he had managed to keep Draco away from him. Lincoln watched him for a few seconds before turning back to see understanding on the faces of the two witches before him.

“How much does Gerard know about your situation? Is he aware you have two bonds?”

He could not prevent the small smile that curled his lips at the businesslike tone to Catherine’s voice: he should have known she would keep to the topic at hand, despite his outburst. “He knows. He also knows about the troubles Adrian has been causing for us and that he tried to keep us apart. This –” he waved his hand in Adrian’s general direction without turning. “– probably won’t surprise him.”

“Right... right,” the thoughtful tone that had entered Catherine’s voice told Lincoln that she was probably working through the possibilities as they spoke. “Well. I am in regular contact with him anyway, so that part should not be a problem. There is very little we can do at the moment, but you should expect to hear from both Gerard and I in the next few days regarding Adrian’s punishment. You are three days from the end of the three month bonding period, correct?” Frowning, Lincoln simply nodded. “He will begin to Call you automatically after that time has passed, so we should finalise anything we intend to do before then. You are free to go; I shall owl you soon.”

Lincoln almost stumbled in his haste to get out of the room. The idea that he could not avoid hearing the Call of his mate in the back of his mind had caused the lump of fear to return to his stomach; he did not wish to sense _anything_ from Adrian, let alone have his presence in the back of his mind permanently. Distracted as he was by his own thoughts, he nearly lashed out when he felt a small hand grip his arm just before he exited the room.

“Wait! _Shit_ , I’m sorry, I should have realised. I’ll be quick, I swear,” Lucy’s voice broke through his thoughts as he lowered the hand he had raised in self-defence. He forced himself to breathe slowly through his nose in an attempt to hold his Elf back, but knew he was doomed to fail. “Your mate – your real mate – is here isn’t he? That’s where you’re heading now? Well, don’t tell anyone it was me who said this, but go to him and be with him in any way you can, because God knows you’re going to need that connection in the next few days. This isn’t going to be easy on you and your mate will be able to help you through it.”

She released him the second he had nodded his understanding, allowing him to make his escape down the revolving stairs and into the hallway. Jaw clenched against the roiling waves of emotions trying to force their way out of him, he staggered over to rest his head against the cool stone of the wall opposite the entrance to the Head’s office. Knowing he should not go to Draco in this kind of mood, he allowed his Elf a little freedom, letting it release some of the tension in the simplest way he knew how. Pain flashed up his arm as his fist cracked against the stone in front of him, but it was a good pain; one that helped him to focus, to clear his mind. He had no idea how long he stood there bloodying his knuckles against the wall, but the sound of footsteps running up to him eventually broke through the fog of combined pain, fear and anger.

“Link, thank Merlin you’re alright! McGonagall just flooed me and... Gods _what_ are you –” Draco’s voice was cut off as Lincoln grabbed him, pulling him as close as he could get.

Knowing he needed the support, Lincoln leant them both back against the wall, his back to the stone with Draco pressed against his chest. He was thankful when Draco seemed content to just let him hold him for the time being as it seemed to him that Lucy had been right: Draco’s mere presence was having a soothing effect on his Elf. He shivered as Draco’s hands ran all over him, obviously checking him for physical injuries. The distressed little sound that escaped from Draco when his fingers found the cuts on Lincoln’s right hand pulled a small smile from him as his mate Healed him.

“Draco...” He could hear the strain in his voice, the pressure of holding everything back.

“It’s ok, Link. You’re safe here; let go.” Draco’s grip on him tightened when he shuddered after his Elf tried to take full control of him as he allowed it out. “My Elfling.”

Draco’s fingers brushed lightly along Lincoln’s cheekbone as he pulled back to look him in the eyes before muttering the glamour charm to help him cover his heritage. The kiss that followed was surprisingly tender considering the intensity of their interactions over the past few days. Lincoln brushed his tongue against Draco’s lips, satisfying some of the desperate need to be with him by deepening the kiss. He could not help the small whimper that escaped him as he was allowed entry to his mate’s mouth; Draco tasted of tea and biscuits. Lincoln was allowed to enjoy the sensation of having Draco in his arms for a few more seconds before he sensed Adrian’s presence coming closer to them.

“Dray,” he gasped as the door in front of him opened to reveal two large security guards with Adrian between them. “We have to go.”

To his surprise, Draco pulled away from him, moving to hold his face in between his hands so Lincoln was forced to look him in the eyes. “I love you Link. Please remember that when I ask for forgiveness later on.”

Lincoln made a grab for him as he spun out of his grip, but was prevented from reaching him as his Elf surged forward, taking full control over him for the first time he could remember. He was forced to watch as Draco hexed the guards out of his way before throwing himself on Adrian, connecting with a right to Adrian’s jaw as they both fell to the floor.

“If you ever hurt _my mate_ again, I’ll make sure you regret ever being born, you bastard,” Draco snarled as he leant in close to Adrian.

The rest of what he said was drowned out in Lincoln’s ears as his breath whooshed out of him. _‘My mate’_ , Draco had just referred to _Lincoln_ as his mate... The overwhelming joy that followed that thought was pushed aside when he saw the guards stirring out of the corner of his eye. Flicking his wand at the one furthest away, Lincoln sent a Stunner at him before turning to face the one closest to Draco; the one who presented the most immediate danger. He dismissed the glamour charm Draco had cast on him as he stepped between the guard and his mate. He had never really had a use for the claws that came along with his Inheritance, but felt a rush of gratitude for them as he placed one clawed hand on the chest of the still-conscious guard.

“Back off.” Lincoln could clearly hear the command his Elf had put behind the words and was thankful when the man obeyed with no objections, raising his hands as he took a few steps backwards. “Draco?”

A stifled grunt was the only verbal response he got before he felt Draco’s fingers lacing through his. Lincoln allowed Draco to lead him – knowing he was safe with his mate guiding him – while his eyes flickered all over the place in an instinctive search for danger as they moved through the castle. Focussing on sending his Elf to the back of his mind, he managed to take full control back just as they reached Draco’s suite of rooms.

“Dray,” he began but was stopped by the press of Draco’s lips to his as he pushed him back against the door.

“I’m sorry, Elfling,” Draco gasped into the small gap he created between them a few seconds later. “Please forgive me. I couldn’t just let him do something like that to you without...”

His voice trailed off as Lincoln grabbed hold of his hips and pulled him close. “ _Mate_.”

“Yes; _my_ mate.”

That was all Lincoln needed to hear. Hoisting Draco up so his legs locked around his waist, Lincoln moved them both into the bedroom, Vanishing their clothing as he went. The hungry look that lit up Draco’s eyes as Lincoln laid him down on the bed sent desire spiralling through his stomach; it had been too long since he had let himself to touch his mate properly. That was something he was absolutely determined to remedy as he claimed Draco’s mouth in a passionate kiss. Balancing his weight mostly on his knees, he ran his hands down Draco’s stomach as his lips moved to suck on the hollow between Draco’s collarbones. This drew a gasp out of his mate, who arched into his touch. Lincoln sat up, taking in the sight of Draco panting before him. He had always reacted beautifully to Lincoln’s touch and he was grateful that the three month ban on sex had not changed that.

“Don’t stop now, Elfling, please... I want... _need_...”

Lincoln grinned as Draco gave upon speaking and simply reached for him, his eyes pleading. Grabbing the bottle of lube from the bedside table, Lincoln leant down so he was balanced on an elbow above his mate, the other hand trailing slowly down Draco’s stomach. Draco groaned when Lincoln’s hand reached his swollen cock, pulling him in for a heated kiss. An impatient pulse from his Elf in the back of his mind decided Lincoln on a course of action. Coating his hand in lube, he gently pressed a finger against Draco’s entrance, knowing it had been a while and not wanting to hurt him.

“Link,” Draco gasped as he pressed down on the finger, taking it in quickly. “I’m not as delicate as I look. I want you _now_.”

With that, he drew Lincoln into another kiss, his tongue forcing its way into Lincoln’s mouth. Not bothering to try to stop his laughter, Lincoln obeyed his mate’s wishes, thrusting the finger inside him and adding a second much sooner than he would have normally. Draco’s only reaction was to press down harder, moaning into the kiss, encouraging Lincoln to move faster. The ache building in Lincoln’s stomach was becoming desperate as Draco’s fingers traced through his hair and over the pointed tips of his ears. Slowing down as he carefully slipped a third finger in with the other two made Draco grumble, but Lincoln silenced him by hooking them and rubbing against his prostate. No matter what Draco told him, there was no way he was going to move faster than he knew Draco could take him. Unfortunately for him, it seemed Draco was more in control of his senses than he would have liked at that moment, as one of his hands – how he had managed to lube it up was beyond Lincoln at that moment – slipped down to grasp hold of Lincoln’s cock, stroking him in time to his fingers.

“Dray, wait... Slow down,” he managed through the waves of desire crashing through him.

“No.”

Lincoln’s Elf flared at the defiant tone to his mate’s voice and before he could even think about it, he had Draco pinned to the bed, his wrists held over his head. The deep groan and flash of a grin this action earned him told him he had been played. Leaning in as close as he could get without actually touching their lips together as he settled against Draco’s body, he gave his dominant instincts free rein, figuring that that was what Draco had been aiming for.

“If you don’t stop provoking me,” he paused with a sharp intake of breath as Draco’s legs hooked around his waist. “I’ll leave you here to finish yourself off.” Grinning as Draco struggled, Lincoln released his wrists so they could wrap around his chest.

“If you think I’m letting you go now, you’ve got another thing coming.”

The kiss that followed had Lincoln’s head swimming with lust as he quickly positioned himself at Draco’s entrance. Pressing forward into the tight heat of his mate for the first time in three months nearly unravelled all of Lincoln’s carefully held control. He could feel his Elven side right there, ready and wanting to cast the bonding magic that _should_ have bound the two of them together long before now. He could have Draco in nearly every way he needed him – emotionally, sexually, even legally through marriage – except for in the one aspect of his nature that he most desperately wanted him and he knew he would have to deal with that loss eventually. For now, though, he focussed solely on giving his mate as much pleasure as he could. Sliding his hand down Draco’s side caused him to shiver and arch his back, rubbing his hard cock against Lincoln’s stomach.

“Now, please,” Draco gasped as he broke the kiss, his hands clenching painfully on Lincoln’s shoulder blades.

More than willing to obey, Lincoln pulled out and thrust back in, not holding anything back. He buried his nose into the crook of Draco’s neck as he found his rhythm, breathing deeply. Draco’s scent pushed Lincoln closer to the edge, dragging a small moan from him as they moved together. The small noises Draco was letting out told Lincoln that he was having the same control issues he was and that this was not going to last very long. Needing to make certain Draco was enjoying this just as much as he was, Lincoln worked a hand in between them and began stroking his mate’s leaking cock, earning himself a deep groan and a thrust of Draco’s hips. His lips seemed to move automatically to latch onto the pulse throbbing in the side of Draco’s throat, sucking hard. This was all it took for Draco to arch beneath him, crying out as his body spasmed in orgasm. Lincoln followed behind him as Draco’s contracting muscles dragged an orgasm out of him powerful enough to leave him gasping for breath. Surprise flittered through him as his Elf flared, taking over just long enough to mark his mate as his own.

*~*

Coming to consciousness slowly a few hours later, Draco could not help the smile that stretched across his face. His entire body ached in a way that he had not felt in too long and he was so relaxed he was unsure if he would ever want to leave the bed again. Tonight had been the absolute _perfect_ way to break the ban they had been under, although Draco still had questions as to why Link had done so a few days early. Glancing over to where Link lay next to him, Draco felt a warm rush of affection as his shoulder throbbed. He had known since he was a small child that some people with creature Inheritances marked their mates by biting them; it told everyone who also had an Inheritance that the marked person was protected. His father had a bite mark from his mother that he kept hidden from the public’s view with his long sleeves and now he – Draco – had one on his own shoulder. Link had attempted to Heal it the second he had come back to his senses, but Draco had refused to allow him, knowing that this would actually help in some strange way with Link’s creature side.

The thought of Link’s creature side sent Draco’s mind racing through what had happened earlier in the night and the power Link had displayed – both physical and magical. Of course, Draco had had to provoke that display out of him, but it had been more than worth it. If only he could convince him it was ok to let his dominant nature out more often... Knowing both that Link was not working in the morning and that he now had the freedom to do pretty much anything he wanted to him, Draco pushed his lover onto his back and moved to lie on top of him, his smile widening as Link’s eyes fluttered.

“Dray?” Link’s voice was thick with sleep, causing desire to pool in Draco’s stomach. “Whassamatter?”

Only just holding back a laugh at Link’s sleep-slurred speech, Draco grinned. “Nothing. How are you?”

“Hmm?” Link blinked sleepily a few times, obviously trying to bring Draco into focus above him. “I’d be better if you let me Heal that.”

“No,” Draco replied simply before leaning down to softly brush their lips together. “I’ll cover it up if you want – well, most of the time at least – but you’re not going to Heal it.” He grinned when Link let out a longsuffering sigh.

“I knew you’d be trouble that first night I met you, you know,” Link grumbled as he slid his hands down Draco’s back, sending delightful shivers through him. “I was a nice, law-abiding citizen before I met you and now look: I’m getting into fights, breaking rules _and_ ,” he reached up to nibble at the corner of Draco’s mouth. “I’m now seriously considering breaking one particular rule again.”

“Oh, so the prim and proper Healer has been corrupted by the nasty Death Eater?” Draco was unable to prevent the laughter in his voice as Link grinned back at him. “I can’t seem to find any sympathy for you there; I quite like the corrupted version of you.”

He laughed properly as Link shoved against the bed, flipping them over so he was on top. Draco bent his knees so he could hook his ankles behind Link’s back as he settled down between his legs again. Drawing him in for a deep kiss, Draco let out a small sigh of pleasure. This is where he belonged: in his mate’s arms, safe and secure. His fingers traced along the shell of Link’s ear as he settled in for round two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case anyone's wondering and couldn't work it out, or simply didn't remember, Gerard is the Head of Lincoln's clan. I think I mentioned him in an earlier chapter, not sure though :)


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is the second fic I've updated today! *pats self on back* Well done, self. :)
> 
> Ok, seriously, though: this chapter and the next can pretty much be one big chapter, but I wanted to be able to give [spoiler] the justice it deserves, so I separated the two. ^.^

A steady tapping on the window woke Draco the next morning. The bed dipped, indicating that Link had left to deal with whatever had the hide to wake Draco so early on a Saturday and he cracked his eyes open so he could watch. Even viewed through sleep-blurred eyes, the sight of Link naked sent warm shivers down Draco’s spine. Staying as still as possible, he simply watched as Link opened the window and greeted the black owl that stood on the windowsill. The owl held its leg out imperiously for Link to take the letter attached, waited until Link had scratched its head, then left without waiting for a response.

“Bye Muninn,” Link murmured as he turned back to the bed.

“‘Muninn’? Isn’t that one of Odin’s ravens?” The warmth spread through Draco’s stomach as Link’s laugh reached his ears. He rolled over and stretched, enjoying the slight ache in his body, only to have Link land on top of him a few seconds later.

“Mmm, Gerard has a weird sense of humour.” The words were quiet and said in a rush, almost as though Link could not wait long before he claimed Draco’s lips in a quick, harsh kiss. “I love you, Dray.”

Surprised but pleased by the sudden declaration, Draco began nibbling his way along Link’s jaw, moving down his neck. “Love you, too... No, wait, Gerard? The Head of your clan?” He pulled back, pushing Link up so he could see his eyes. “Is that letter news about Adrian?”

“Probably,” Link murmured before leaning in to nip at Draco’s Adam’s apple.

Throwing his head back with a soft moan, Draco found himself waging an internal war. One half of him needed to simply allow Link to continue doing whatever he wanted to him; to lay back and enjoy the jolts of pleasure Link was sending through him. The other half of him was burning with curiosity to know what had been done to the man stupid enough to dare to hurt his mate. Despite the desire beginning to build in him, he could feel his curiosity starting to overtake his need to be with Link. It surprised him at first, but he put it down to his need to know that his mate was going to be safe from Adrian from now on.

“Link.” Draco tugged softly on a handful of dreads in an attempt to get Link’s attention. “Come on, you have to read that letter.”

The disappointed-sounding groan that met that statement had Draco grinning as Link pushed himself up onto his elbows above him. Link appeared to be searching for something in Draco’s eyes as he stared down at him, his own desire and need clear in his violet eyes. Draco had no idea if he found what he wanted, but whatever it was he saw caused him to grumble again before moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

“He doesn’t know how much he owes me.”

Unable to prevent an amused chuckle as he sat up, Draco followed closely after Link, moving to wrap his arms around his lover’s stomach as he settled behind him. “You’re so damn cute when you’re grumpy.”

“Pshh, _you_ owe me, too.” Link sighed as Draco tightened his grip, sliding one hand up to rest just above his heart, and the other down to grasp his hip. “Dray...”

“You can’t hold the entirety of the wizarding world in your debt until you get laid next, you know,” Draco murmured against the warm skin of Link’s neck as he nuzzled in just beneath his ear.

“Watch me.”

Draco laughed properly at the defiant sound to Link’s voice as he settled back into Draco’s arms. He had to admit that now that he was free to have Link in any way he wanted him again, it was proving incredibly distracting. The hand he had on Link’s hip slowly slid – seemingly automatically – across Link’s torso, eliciting a shudder from him as Draco’s fingers lightly brushed along his pubic bone. Tilting his head to the side, Draco nipped at, then sucked Link’s earlobe into his mouth, earning himself a low moan that sent his insides fluttering wildly.

“Gods, Dray, I – I can’t...”

Thanking his lucky stars that they had simply left the lube on the bedside table the night before, Draco reached blindly, tightening his grip on Link’s chest with his free hand momentarily. “Shh, Elfling; it’s ok, it’s ok.”

Giving up on reaching the lube without releasing his hold on Link, Draco scooted around so he was straddling him instead. He pulled him into a rough kiss for a few seconds before sliding off his lap onto his knees on the floor. Link spread his legs with a groan as Draco ran his hands up his thighs. It had been even longer than three months since he had tasted Link like this and he found anticipation bubbling up from inside him. He breathed deeply as he moved closer, savouring Link’s intensely earthy scent before he began nibbling his way along one of Link’s thighs. Draco had refined his technique over the months that he had been with Link, sticking to things that he knew Link liked the best based solely on his reactions to whatever Draco had been doing at the time. If he wished to, then Draco knew that he could most likely bring Link to a shattering orgasm in a very short amount of time, but the need he felt to make certain Link enjoyed himself just as much as he was was too strong to allow him.

“Dray... Please, please...”

Draco glanced up to see Link watching him with hooded eyes as he lay back on his elbows, his pupils blown wide. Desire rocked through Draco’s stomach, urging him on. He grinned as he lightly traced a fingertip along the length of Link’s cock, enjoying the shiver it brought out of him. His tongue swiftly followed his finger, eager as he was to taste Link again. A deep hum that felt as though it had been dragged out of the very depths of him was Draco’s only reaction when the salty-bitter taste of the beading pre-cum hit his tongue as he flicked it over the head of Link’s cock. It was echoed – a little louder – by Link, who seemed to be losing control much faster than Draco.

“ _Dray_...”

Draco hummed again – his lips closed and mouth pressed to the head of Link’s cock – simply so he could enjoy the sound of Link groaning his name again. He took pity on his gasping mate when one of Link’s hands landed in his hair and gripped hard. It became obvious to Draco that Link must have been holding onto his control with an iron grip when he heard a tiny noise – half-gasp, half-moan – from him. He moved automatically, wrapping his fingers around the base of Link’s cock as he licked his way downwards, holding Link’s orgasm off for a little while. The move was met by a sharp jerk of Link’s hips that had Draco chuckling again. He got a good hold of Link’s hip with his free hand in an attempt to hold him still as he licked and sucked his way back up.

“I love seeing you like this,” Draco whispered, knowing Link had heard him when he made a small, questioning sound. “So open,” he ran the rough side of his tongue up the thick vein. “And free,” circled his tongue around the head. “And _mine_.”

Swallowing Link down until his lips hit the fingers he had clamped around the base of Link’s cock, Draco hummed in appreciation when Link let out a string of consonants. He could not tell if it was supposed to be English, Welsh, or something completely different, but he figured whatever it was, it was good. He wriggled his tongue, causing Link to whimper and buck beneath him. Wanting to go on pleasuring his mate, but also rapidly becoming desperate for release himself, Draco swallowed, taking pleasure in the frantic sounds Link was letting out. Deciding to follow the pulsating lust shooting through him, he removed his fingers and rapidly swallowed Link completely, taking a deep breath in the few seconds before Link let out a cry and began to come into his mouth. He swallowed as fast as he could, managing to take every drop as Link squirmed beneath him, panting and groaning.

“Dray... Annwyl Dduw... Perffaith...”

Moving back up onto the bed after he had licked Link clean – savouring the bitter taste of him on his tongue – Draco smiled. “Welsh again, Elfling.”

Link’s only response was to flip Draco over onto his back and shove his tongue into his mouth. Surrendering to whatever Link wished to do to him, Draco groaned when he felt Link’s warm, lubed hand stroking along the length of his throbbing cock. He knew that as worked up as he was, there was no way he would last very long and he was right: a few strokes of Link’s hand was all it took before Draco’s back was arching and he was spilling his release all over Link’s hand and his own stomach.

“Perfect, cariad; you are _perfect_.”

*~*

_Link,_

_HOW do you always wind up with the psychotics? Do you have a sign above your head that only they can see? “Hey, come destroy my life; it’ll be fun!”_

_Well, it seems my mother doesn’t approve of me not writing you a formal letter. Like I asked her to read the letter I was writing to an old friend over my shoulder! Ok, so here’s the formal part:_

_Adrian will be sentenced today at 10 a.m. Catherine and I ask that both you and your mate be there, as you are both so closely connected to him. Catherine sent a (proper) formal letter to Harry Potter last night, informing him and his mate of both the charges against Adrian and the most likely outcome. They have both requested not to be involved with any part of Adrian’s sentencing, but gave us permission to use Adrian’s behaviour towards the both of them as proof. I believe that they may just wish to put this behind them as soon as possible and simply get on with their lives, which is completely understandable._

_I must ask you and your mate to arrive a little earlier than 10, because we will need to do something so you will not be able to hear Adrian Calling to you. I believe Catherine knows of a way to prevent you from hearing it that will also act as a way to stop you from even having to have physical contact with him to sustain yourself. He will require you to come in and be near him so he doesn’t go into withdrawal, but we will not allow him physical contact with you at all. We will go through with this part of the day no matter the outcome of the sentencing, since it would be completely unreasonable of us to expect you to continue to keep up the regular physical contact needed with someone who has done the kinds of things Adrian has done._

Lincoln smiled and shook his head as he scanned the rest of the letter Gerard had sent him again; it was no wonder his mother had objected to the first part. He and Gerard had been friends since Lincoln had started at the Wood Elf-run school 16 years previously. Gerard had only just become the Head of the clan – his father having died quite young and passed on the title to his then 21 year old son – and he had become almost a role model of Lincoln’s growing up. They had become proper friends as Lincoln had grown, which Lincoln figured was why Gerard had felt comfortable enough with him to not think he required a formal letter. The rest of the letter contained gossip and remembrances of some of the stupider things they had done when they were younger, which had caused Draco’s eyebrows to rise up into his hairline. The thought of Draco seemed to almost Summon him to Lincoln’s side.

“Are you ready for this?”

Lincoln smiled again as he stuffed the letter into the pocket of his jeans, then circled his arms around Draco’s waist. “No,” he replied honestly when his stomach churned at the idea of what was waiting for him on the other side of the floo. “But this will make things much easier for the both of us, so it doesn’t matter if I’m ready for it or not.”

Concern flickered over Draco’s features as he wrapped his arms tightly around Lincoln’s shoulders. “Will it hurt?”

Lincoln broke eye contact automatically, glancing down to the spot on Draco’s shoulder he knew hid that ridiculous bite mark Draco had not allowed him to Heal. “Not physically, no. But,” he paused, trying to work out how to phrase what he wanted to say. “I can’t block him out of my mind. I can sense what he’s feeling right now, even if it is only a vague sense. He’ll be worked up, which will amplify what he’s feeling and I won’t be able to block that out.”

Silence stretched between them for long enough that Lincoln chanced glancing up. Draco’s grey eyes met his with a confidence that Lincoln could not bring himself to feel right at that moment. He knew he would not be able to control his reactions when faced with the force of Adrian’s temper; that he had only just been able to hold on the night before. That had been why he had been so determined to be with Draco that morning: he was not taking the chance that Lucy had been wrong about having that connection with his mate.

“Gerard said that there’s something he and Catherine can do that will help with that, right? It’ll stop you from having to sense him?” Lincoln nodded silently when Draco paused. “Then we’ll just have to get it early on.”

Smiling as he leant in to rest his forehead against Draco’s, Lincoln sighed. “I’m not sure I deserve you.”

“No,” Draco grinned. “You’re the _only_ one who does. Come on, we should be going.”

Lincoln shuddered as he stepped through Draco’s floo into what appeared to be a formal receiving area at the Newcastle clan. The vague sense he had of Adrian’s emotions intensified with the closer proximity, causing his breath to rush out of him. Adrian was scared, much more so than he had been the day before and since Lincoln had been unprepared for an onslaught of fear – rather than anger – it was affecting him worse than it had before. Clenching his hands as they began to shake with reaction to the terror assaulting his senses, Lincoln squeezed his eyes shut, wishing Draco would hurry and step through the floo as well. He was drawn into a tight embrace a few seconds after the fire flared green.

“It’s ok, Link; you’re safe. I’m not letting him anywhere near you.”

If he had not been fighting against the roiling emotions battering him, Lincoln would have laughed at the determined tone to Draco’s voice. Pushing aside the small voice telling him that it was really his job to protect Draco, rather than the other way around, he buried his nose into the crook of Draco’s neck, breathing in the scent of sandalwood. Draco’s very solid warmth in his arms was going a long way to helping Lincoln sort through what was happening in his mind, as was the sound of the constant stream of murmured words Draco was uttering.

“Dray?”

“Don’t you dare apologise.”

Lincoln paused – having intended on doing just that – and tightened his arms around his mate’s waist briefly instead. “Thank you.”

Pulling back so Lincoln was forced to meet his eyes, Draco smiled at him, sending butterflies through Lincoln’s stomach. “We have company.”

Lincoln’s protective instincts kicked in immediately, tightening his grip on his mate and tensing the muscles of his shoulders. The slight chuckle he heard from behind him had a very familiar tone to it, causing him to frown as he turned. The sight that met him sent relief rushing through him, relaxing his tense muscles quickly. Leaning against the wall opposite was a short man with glowing light green eyes and mud-brown hair cropped close to his head, wearing deep green robes and a smirk.

“Gerard! Did you have to scare me like that?” Slipping his hand down Draco’s back to lace their fingers together, Lincoln turned properly to offer his free hand to his friend. “How are you?”

“Good, good,” Gerard replied, his eyes flicking between Lincoln and Draco, who Lincoln had kept back a few paces instinctively. “And this is...?”

Despite knowing that Gerard knew exactly who Draco was, Lincoln saw no harm in introducing them properly; he and Gerard had been close friends for years now, after all. Tugging on Draco’s hand, Lincoln offered him a small smile as he stepped up to him, nerves that only Lincoln would have been able to discern flashing briefly across his face. He held Draco’s gaze as he answered, trying to silently reassure him.

“My mate, Draco.” He smiled properly as he saw the nerves melt from Draco’s face to be replaced with a happiness that he had discovered Draco only showed to people he was comfortable with. “Draco, this is Gerard, the Head of my clan.”

“Helo, Draco. Mae'n braf cwrdd â chi.”

Lincoln’s protective instincts kicked into overdrive at the sound of the formal Welsh greeting combined with the lingering handshake Gerard offered Draco. Allowing himself to feel all of Adrian’s anger and fear for a few seconds, Lincoln took a step toward Gerard, menace clear in every movement. The grin Gerard shot him as he backed off to the wall again with his hands raised only served to confuse Lincoln’s Elven side: Gerard was a friend – he was _safe_ – so why would he be hitting on Draco?

“Sorry, Link, but I had to know that this one was true and looking like I’m interested was the easiest way.” His grin widened when Lincoln rolled his eyes as he began to relax again. “If it’s any consolation, you won’t have any issue getting a blessing if you want it later on. Come on, we’d better go find Catherine.”

The touch of Draco’s hand on his shoulder pulled Lincoln’s attention away from Gerard’s retreating back and he turned to see a bright smile on his mate’s face. The hand moved to brush a stray dreadlock out of Lincoln’s eyes as Draco moved closer.

“I love you, Elfling.” Draco leant in to brush his lips against Lincoln’s, sending an involuntary shiver down his spine. “Were you really going to...”

“Rip the little shit’s throat out if he didn’t let you go? Yes, I think I was.” Lincoln sighed as he scrubbed a hand across his eyes, knowing that it had been a major overreaction. “He’s straight, Dray. He’s not a threat at all.” He smiled when Draco began to laugh.

“He also wouldn’t stand a chance compared to you even if he _was_ interested.” The whispered words were followed by a proper kiss, one that had Lincoln’s insides trembling by the time Draco pulled back. “Come on.”

Pulling away from Draco was the last thing Lincoln wanted to do right at that moment, especially considering physical contact with him seemed to help him clear his mind; it always had. He knew he had to make do with what he could get, however, so he slipped his hand down to lace their fingers together again and followed slowly behind his mate as he led him down the hall after Gerard.

The hallway they followed was a typical design for a Wood Elf clan: everything was wooden – floor, walls, ceiling, furniture – and had the appearance of extreme old age, despite being incredibly solid. Lincoln stayed a step or two behind Draco, enjoying watching his reactions to the new space he found himself in. The fact that that position also gave him the perfect view of Draco’s tight arse as he walked was a bonus Lincoln was unprepared to forego. As determinedly focussed on Draco as he was, it took hearing raised voices echoing down the hall to drag his attention away. He regretted refocussing on the world around him the second he was hit by yet another wave of emotion down the bond.

“You can’t do this to me, Catherine. The clan needs a specialised Healer; where else are you going to find someone who can do what I do for you?” Adrian’s panic-loaded voice was echoing through the closed door and down the hallway Draco was leading Lincoln down, backed up by an incredibly strong rush of fear. “It was just one time. I swear I wasn’t trying to _break_ their bond, I just wasn’t sure they were properly bonded, that’s all.”

“And why would you assume it was up to _you_ to test that bond? Do you have any idea of exactly who it is you have alienated? That if you had managed to do any kind of damage to their bond, you most likely would have killed the man who has just saved the entire wizarding world from the worst madman this century!” Lincoln could hear the near-hysteria in Catherine’s voice and felt Adrian’s responding desperation, unable to block him out at all with the close proximity. “That is not to mention your own mate. Did it ever occur to you that even if it was possible for you to have bonded with Severus, you would have automatically rejected Lincoln, leaving him to an extremely painful death?”

“Why would I give a shit about him?” Adrian retorted, venom coating each word. “He’s got that half-breed mongrel; he doesn’t need me.”

“That is enough! I am frankly amazed that you have managed to keep this side of yourself hidden for as long as you have, Adrian, but I am glad you have shown it now. There is no way I shall allow any of my clan to be treated by someone with these kinds of values.”

The anger in Catherine’s voice whipped down the hallway to where Lincoln stood frozen, almost paralysed by the fear pounding down the bond. He was unaware of when he had stopped, but now he had, he was finding it impossible to take another step. The thumping of his heart seemed to get louder and louder as he unconsciously took a step backwards, trying to disengage his hand from Draco’s so he could leave. It was only a matter of seconds before Draco pulled him into a tight embrace again, holding him securely against his chest as he tried to convince himself that what he was feeling was not actually him.

“I – I can’t, Dray. I can’t stay here: it’s too much. I have to leave; have to get away from him.” He could hear the fear in the almost stuttered words and shame piled in on top of every other emotion currently overloading his system.

“Gerard?” Draco’s voice seemed far away through the pounding of the pulse in Lincoln’s ears. “He’ll be back soon, Elfling. You’ll get whatever it is that blocks that bastard out and it’ll be over. He won’t be able to hurt you again.”

The confidence and reassurance in Draco’s voice seemed to be able to penetrate the wall of second-hand fear surrounding Lincoln’s mind as he tightened his grip on his mate, drawing him in as close as he could get. Sandalwood invaded his senses as Draco leant in to nibble softly on his bottom lip, adding to the sense of safety he was getting from him. Knowing he needed to distract himself – but being unable to satisfy certain urges in public – he latched onto the first random thought that made it through the fear in his mind.

“I want a summer wedding, Dray.” The words were whispered to prevent his voice from shaking, but Draco appeared to have heard him over the sound of Adrian’s continued shouts.

“The clan must be beautiful that time of year,” he responded with a wide smile, obviously understanding that Lincoln needed the distraction. “Will my parents be allowed in for the ceremony?”

“Of course: I don’t think I’d have the guts to refuse Lucius entry.” The laugh Draco gave in response vibrated through Lincoln’s chest and lit his grey eyes up in a way that sent very pleasurable shivers down Lincoln’s spine. “Thank you, cariad.”

Whatever Draco was going to say in reply was cut off by Gerard exiting the room Adrian was in. Knowing that he would not be able to hold his Elf back if it took Gerard as a threat to Draco, Lincoln held one hand out, stopping his friend in his tracks. He let out a breath the second realisation dawned on Gerard’s face, thankful for once that everyone who knew him could read him so easily. Gerard cleared his throat and offered a necklace silently to Draco when he turned, obviously taking care not to touch him in any way. Lincoln focussed solely on his mate as he turned back to him, the necklace held between his hands. Not knowing exactly what to expect, he closed his eyes and held his breath as Draco slipped the chain around his neck.

“Oh, thank Merlin,” he groaned the second the clasp clicked shut. Stumbling backwards in his relief, he could not prevent the delirious-sounding laugh that escaped him. “He’s gone; I can’t sense him at all.”

The only comparison Lincoln could make was that it was like stepping from a crowded hall into a Silenced room. There was no sense of someone else’s emotions at the periphery of his mind, no constant agitation that Adrian had brought with him and – most importantly of all – no Call. That was what had been worrying him the most since the previous day: that he would start to feel Adrian Calling to him, despite the fact that he wanted nothing to do with him.

“It worked?” Draco sounded almost as relieved as Lincoln felt.

Instead of responding verbally, Lincoln hoisted Draco up so his legs wrapped around his waist and turned so he was pressed between Lincoln and the wall. The kiss that followed held all of Lincoln’s elation at being free from this ridiculous obligation as well as every single drop of the love for Draco flowing strongly through his chest at that moment. The fact that Draco responded with equal enthusiasm only sweetened the experience. They did not get to enjoy it for long, though, as an embarrassed-sounding cough broke them apart. Lincoln grinned at the stunned look Draco gave him as he pulled back.

“Uh, I hate to break the moment and all that – and believe me, I am so glad you kissed _him_ and not me –” Gerard grinned as Lincoln rolled his eyes again. “But we have a trial to attend.”

Reluctantly releasing his mate – allowing him to slide down the wall so his feet hit the ground again – Lincoln sighed. Draco’s fingers lacing through his again brought his attention back to him and he gathered what strength he had, preparing to face Adrian’s trial.

 **Welsh translation:** Helo, Draco. Mae'n braf cwrdd â chi = Hello, Draco. Pleased to meet you.


	40. Chapter 40

The musty smell of old wood assaulted Lincoln’s senses when he entered the courtroom of the Newcastle Wood Elf clan. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, his mind drifting back to hot summer days spent playing hide and seek with his siblings and friends as a child. His entire clan smelled of this same kind of old wood, preserved for centuries by the ancient magic of the Wood Elves that lived there. Of course, once they had been caught playing in the courtrooms, they had been punished severely by Gerard’s father; or at least, as severely as naughty children ever get punished. His eyes drifted open as he let the breath go, forcing himself to face the reality before him. The only reason he was here was to make sure that the man who had claimed him was sent to prison for what he had done, and it was not something he could take lightly, so he needed to concentrate.

It was not a large room; by wizarding standards, at least. Lincoln counted two rows of benches surrounding a lowered pit in the centre of the room, full to capacity with what must have been a jury of sorts. Catherine would have the final say on what was to happen to Adrian but, for the Trial to be fair, there would have to be a jury of his peers who would each give their opinion on the judgement. Ignoring the pit – and Adrian – for the time being, he glanced up to meet Catherine’s eyes. She was seated in the Head’s chair at the front of the room, with Gerard in a smaller chair to her right. He spared a moment to wonder where Lucy was – as she was to inherit the clan’s leadership from Catherine when she retired – before it occurred to him that someone must be looking after the everyday issues the clan had to deal with in Catherine’s absence. Catherine nodded off to her left, obviously indicating a group of chairs separate to the rest of the benches surrounding the room. Conscious of the fact that Adrian probably held a lot of animosity towards both he and Draco, he led his mate around the back of the pit, out of Adrian’s line of sight.

Draco still had his fingers laced through Lincoln’s and seemed reluctant to release them, which Lincoln found himself extremely thankful for. Having Draco’s solid presence beside him was what had kept him going these past few months and, after the day was over, he fully intended to make certain Draco knew exactly how grateful he was. A slight tug on his hand pulled him to a stop just as they were about to ascend the steps that led to the set of chairs.

“Link?” Draco’s eyes were solemn when Lincoln turned to face him. “I know you’re worried; there’s no point in denying it: I can tell. Look, I need you to listen to me very carefully, ok?” He waited until Lincoln nodded silently before continuing. “No matter what happens here, no matter what he says or does, you need to know just how much I love you.”

“I know,” Lincoln began with a small smile, but Draco stepped closer, a hand coming up to cup his face.

“No, Link, you don’t. I have never had this kind of connection to anyone before, and it’s not like I was a virgin when we met. I’ve had enough experience with other people to not confuse this with what I felt with anyone else. I had thought that I...” He paused, his gaze flicking to a spot over Lincoln’s shoulder, before shaking his head. “But that’s not important. What is important is that no matter what he says, you have to know that I love you. You’re my mate and the most important person in the world to me. _Nothing_ he says today can change that, alright?”

Staring into Draco’s sombre grey eyes, Lincoln was surprised to see a strong reassurance there; one that left him in no doubt of the truth of what Draco was saying. He nodded, wondering if Draco thought he knew something he did not. He knew there was always the possibility that Adrian would take the chance given to him to try to verbally hit at him, but thought it unlikely that it would affect him in any significant way. The emotional connection had been cut; that had to mean that Adrian held no sway over him anymore, right? There was no way Adrian could hurt him without that connection, or at least, he was fairly certain of it. Confusion washed through him, but he knew that they had to take their seats, so he decided to just go with whatever Draco said and interrogate him later.

“Of course, Dray–”

“Malfoy’s don’t put up with being called half-breed mongrels for just anyone, you know.” It was obvious he was attempting to lighten the mood, so Lincoln allowed him, for the time being.

“I love you too, cariad.” The wide smile and harsh kiss he got in response told him the conversation was over.

Turning so he could climb the steps, Lincoln took a deep breath. Draco was right: he was nervous about what was about to happen, but the small amount of reassurance Draco had offered had actually helped to allay some of that worry. Leading Draco by his hand up the steps, Lincoln felt an incredibly strong rush of appreciation that his mate was able to read his moods, even the ones that he tried to hide and acknowledged, somewhere in the back of his mind, that this indicated to him a deeper connection than the one had had with Adrian ever could have been. Catherine began to speak the second he and Draco were seated.

“I call the Trial of Adrian Zachariah Taylor to order; Catherine Ashtoncroft, the Head of the Newcastle upon Tyne clan, presiding. With me I have Gerard Lloyd, the Head of the Cardiff clan.”

Lincoln glanced around the room, taking in the grave looks on the faces of the jury, until his eyes landed on a small group of people seated in the very back row of benches at the opposite end of the room. Judging by their curly brown hair and red-rimmed eyes, Lincoln guessed that they were members of Adrian’s family and felt an unwanted rush of sympathy for what they were about to go through. As far as he knew, Adrian had never displayed anything akin to the kind of mania Lincoln had seen in his eyes the night before, so the sympathy for his family was true, even if it was unwelcome. They and Draco were obviously the reasons Catherine was explaining what was going on, as she must have known that Lincoln had attended Trials back in his own clan before this. It was almost a rite of passage for a Healer trainee to have to work a case that forced them to attend the Trial of someone accused of horrific things that they had had to treat. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he focussed back on what was going on up the front of the room.

“There are two charges that have been brought against Mr. Taylor today, and neither of them is trivial. The first – and most serious – is that he attempted to break the bond existing between Severus Snape and Harry Potter. The second is that he did so in the full knowledge that he was going against the wishes of me, the Head of his clan, as well as the conditions of his bail.

“Now, the court should be made aware that due to a certain animosity between Adrian and his recognised mate, he had been placed under severe restrictions which forbade him from leaving the clan unless in the case of dire emergency. These restrictions were lifted early – with Gerard’s permission – so Adrian could be allowed to make the journey to Hogwarts to meet with both Mr. Potter and Mr. Snape. Being the Head Healer of this clan – as well as a specialist in Wood Elf physiology – it was decided that it would be foolish to exclude Adrian from the party who travelled to Hogwarts. The only problem he had at the time was the aforementioned animosity with his recognised mate, so I made the decision that there should be no problem in allowing him out of the restrictions on bail, of a sort.

“These are the charges laid against Mr. Taylor, and the conditions in which he was living at the time of the crimes he committed. As is custom, I shall now allow him to have his say, to defend himself against the charges.”

Draco’s hand ran across Lincoln’s shoulders in a gesture of support; he had released his hand when they sat down. Lincoln was still slightly confused as to what Draco could think he knew about what Adrian was going to either do or say that warranted the kind of reaction he had had. _Unless he thinks I’m about to be rejected_. He shook his head, dismissing the thought as ridiculous, simply because he knew Draco would never allow him to be hurt that seriously if he could prevent it. Offering his mate a reassuring smile, he turned his focus on Adrian for the first time that day.

Sitting in the middle of the lowered pit, in a chair crafted from the same wood as the benches, Adrian looked much smaller than a grown man should. Not scared, just small; insignificant. The grape-purple robes he had chosen – or that had been chosen for him – made his glowing eyes stand out, but Lincoln was unsure if that was a good thing for Adrian or not: the obsession he had seen the night before had not waned during the night and it showed most significantly in Adrian’s eyes. Lincoln’s shoulders tensed as Adrian stood to face Catherine and Gerard.

“Good morning Catherine, Gerard,” there was a slight sneer in Adrian’s voice as he said Gerard’s name before offering up a deep bow to the three of them. “I don’t believe that there is a reason for me to have to defend myself, as I don’t see what it is that I have done that is so wrong. As I understand it, it is one of the duties of the Head Healer to make absolutely certain that the bonds existing between the members of the clan are true. In my capacity as Head Healer, I therefore took it upon myself to test the strength of their bond.”

“By attempting to convince Mr. Snape to reject Mr. Potter?” Catherine’s voice cut through Adrian’s explanation, sharp and obviously controlled. “That is what Mr. Potter has testified you were attempting to do.”

“You’re going to believe _him_ over me, Catherine? I have served this clan faithfully ever since I graduated as a Healer. I could have chosen to take a job in one of the big wizarding cities, but I chose to come back here instead. How could you think I would lie to you?” There was a hint of desperation in Adrian’s voice as he leant forward, his hands clenching on the wooden barrier of the pit, that Lincoln hoped everyone else could hear. “If it’s just my word against his, then there really isn’t a case, is there?”

“‘Just your word against his’? I must admit to being shocked that you would think so little of me, Adrian.” Lincoln dragged his attention away from Adrian in the centre of the room to watch Catherine, who obviously thought she had something over him as she stared impassively down at him. “You may have forgotten that at the time you were speaking to Mr. Potter, my daughter Lucinda was standing not two metres away, preparing the last of the potions for Mr. Potter to take, along with two of our other Healers. One of the reasons we have such a strong case against you is because you spoke openly to Mr. Potter about your desire for Mr. Snape. In fact, I believe you informed Mr. Potter that there were certain things that you could provide Mr. Snape that Mr. Potter could not. Intelligence in a partner and fidelity in particular. What do you have to say about this?”

“I... Who accused me of saying this?” Lincoln could not prevent the small smile that broke out on his face at the uncertain sound to Adrian’s voice.

“Mr. Potter and Lucinda.”

“Look, I don’t know what Lucy has against me, but Potter _assaulted_ me!”

“He was protecting his mate from you,” Catherine interrupted, managing to not only sound exasperated, but also incredibly tired at the same time. “You know very well that a mild assault charge will be excused in our culture if the accused is protecting their mate.”

A small surprised noise from beside him pulled Lincoln’s attention back to Draco. He raised an eyebrow at his mate, who leaned in close to whisper in his ear.

“Is that why I wasn’t charged for beating the shit out of him last night?”

Lincoln nodded, smiling broadly. “It’s also why the guards didn’t charge me.”

“I think I really _have_ been a bad influence on you,” Draco responded as he sat back in his chair, grinning widely at him.

Turning back to the proceedings, Lincoln was unable to keep the smile from his face. Unfortunately, it seemed Adrian had been paying more attention to them than Lincoln had been aware of, as he was shot a scorching glare from the pit. Adrian’s attention whipped back to the front of the room and he straightened, drawing himself up to his full height.

“Catherine, I will admit that I was searching for another mate; a _real_ mate. But who could really blame me? I mean, look at what the fates offered me: a pathetic waste of space who has more interested in a fucking half-breed than in his _true_ mate. _I_ chose Lincoln and he has done everything in his power to make certain that my life was miserable ever since. All I wanted was someone who could accept me for who I am and not run off with other men behind my back. What did I end up with?” His gaze flickered back over to where Lincoln sat, his hands clenched in his lap to prevent himself from hexing the bastard for insulting his mate again. “Someone who would prefer to play happy families with that mutt up there.”

Draco’s fingers clenched in the back of Lincoln’s shirt, silently urging him to stay seated. Closing his eyes as a sharp anger jabbed through his chest, Lincoln forced himself to sit back in the chair, breathing slowly through his nose in an attempt to calm his Elf down. Adrian had not only insulted Lincoln – which he had half been expecting anyway – but he had taken a shot at Draco as well, which was causing Lincoln’s Elven side to try to force its way out to remedy the situation. Exactly how it would do so was unclear to Lincoln, but he knew it would not be pretty, so he continued to fight against it. It was not until the hand Draco had roaming over Lincoln’s back touched the small bit of bare skin at the small of his back where the shirt had ridden up that Lincoln began to be able to start to take control back. He shot Draco a grateful look as he reopened his eyes and received a warm smile in return that sent his insides quivering. Turning back to the Trial, he found Gerard speaking about the restrictions the two of them had been placed under.

“Yes, I was aware of Lincoln’s situation; having two mates is unusual enough for me to take a personal interest.” He paused when Adrian snorted, glaring at him until he settled again. “Our Head Healer informed me as soon as Lincoln had been to see him and when I was told who had claimed him, I was almost certain that there would be some form of trouble between them in the future. I had hoped that they would be able to see things in a mature light rather than insulting each other and resorting to violence, but that was apparently not to be. I was informed about three weeks after Lincoln was claimed that there had been a scuffle here in the potions lab and that I was required to help mediate. It turned out that Adrian had been keeping Lincoln away from Draco – his other mate – and had resorted to stealing mail in order to achieve it.”

“There was never any proof of that except his word!”

Gerard glared at Adrian again until he settled down. “The solution Catherine and I came up with was to restrict Lincoln’s contact with Elves he was not related to and for Adrian to be restricted to the Newcastle clan except for when they had to have contact with each other. That was reduced to once a week, supervised meetings. As far as I know, Lincoln got back in touch with Draco after that and they have been together ever since, while observing the three month bonding restrictions.”

“Do you honestly think that they kept to the restrictions? He’s been cheating on me with that –”

Lincoln, unable to listen to another insult to his mate, stood and pointed his wand directly at Adrian. “Insult him again and I will hex you senseless you useless –”

“There, there you see? You see what I have to put up with on a regular basis?” Adrian was on his feet as well, glaring daggers at Lincoln, who was fighting back the urge to just allow his Elven side full rein again. “At least my insults are only verbal.”

“Adrian, you insulted his mate, how did you expect him to react? In fact, I think you are lucky Draco is here, as he seems to be having some sort of calming effect on him.”

The sound of Catherine’s voice cut through the anger boiling in Lincoln’s veins. She must have noticed something Lincoln had not, as Draco was suddenly there, placing his hand on Lincoln’s shoulder and moving him back slowly.

“It’s ok, Link,” Draco murmured, his eyes shining brightly with something Lincoln could not identify. “They’re only words.”

Looking into Draco’s eyes as he allowed him to manoeuvre him back into his chair, Lincoln saw the strong reassurance he had noticed earlier. _Is this what he was worried about earlier? That Adrian would try to convince them to break us apart; to punish us for being together during the restrictions?_

“I can’t allow him to talk about you like that, Dray. He has no right; he never did...” He trailed off as Draco’s hand slipped down from his shoulder to grasp hold of his hand again.

“I love you, Elfling,” Draco murmured as he settled back in his chair again, quiet enough so that only Lincoln could have heard him. “Just remember that.”

Lincoln sat and stared at his now silent mate for a few seconds before deciding that Draco obviously thought he knew what he was doing. If his mate was alright with what was happening, then Lincoln had no right to object to any of it. Glancing from the pit to the Head’s chairs, he offered an apologetic smile to Catherine, who nodded silently before gesturing to an area set off to the side of the Head’s chairs.

“If you would like to have your say, Mr. Northam?”

Draco squeezed his hand before he stood and grinned at him, the reassurance showing through in his eyes again. “Yes, I would.” Lincoln stood and made his way over to the sectioned-off area, avoiding meeting Adrian’s eyes as he walked. “Adrian and I have never really gotten on. I know that it’s impossible to control who you choose, or who chooses you, but... Honestly? If I could, then I would have already. Even before I met Draco, if I’m to tell the full truth. I’m 27 years old; that’s quite old to have only just been chosen by a submissive. For it to have finally happened once I’d already discovered a man whom I could force a bond with – who actually _wanted_ to be with me – well I’ll admit that it hurt more than anything else I’ve ever experienced. Adrian worked very hard to keep me apart from Draco and, for a while, it worked. We broke up, mostly due to my own stupidity, and were apart for about a month before I discovered that a letter Draco had written to me had gone missing while Adrian had been in the room it was delivered to. He told me that it was actually one of his own letters he had brought with him.”

“Did you believe him?”

“At the time I did, yes. There was no reason for me to suspect that he was lying to me about anything at that stage. We had never gotten along, but he had not yet shown himself to be the liar I know him to be now.”

“Very well; you may take your seat again.”

Lincoln let his eyes drift down to the pit, only to be confronted with one of the strongest glares he had ever seen shot his way. He smiled wide, unable to prevent himself, knowing that the evidence against Adrian must be enough for him to go away for a few months at the very least. Draco welcomed him back to the chairs by slowly running his hand down Lincoln’s thigh to come to rest on his knee. The delightful shiver this produced must have been visible, as when he looked back up, Gerard was grinning at him like an idiot. Fighting against an instinctive blush, he glanced back over to Draco, only to find him grinning as well. Maybe not as openly as Gerard, but it was definitely there and definitely aimed at him. The sound of shuffling footsteps dragged Lincoln’s attention back to the Head’s chairs.

“Members of the jury, you have before you the evidence of Adrian’s crimes,” Catherine’s voice echoed, loud and clear enough to be heard at the back of the room. “We ask that you make your decision now, rather than retire. It would be better for all involved if this Trial was over as early as possible, I believe.”

Lincoln looked over at the members of the jury, all of whom had been whispering amongst themselves during the course of the Trial. There were a number of familiar faces in the crowd of people, but they were ones that Lincoln had had nothing to do with since he had left school ten years previously. Nerves rushed through his stomach and he sent a silent plea out to anyone listening that Adrian would be convicted of something that would have him in prison for a long time. The jury seemed to come to a decision fairly quickly, with one woman standing and seeming to want to speak for the entire jury.

“Catherine, we have been speaking amongst ourselves for the entirety of the Trial and have come to a unanimous decision,” the woman announced with a strange look to Adrian. “We are all shocked and appalled that the Head Healer of this clan could have turned out to be someone of this kind of moral quality. Many of us have allowed this man to treat us – to treat our _children_ – and cannot believe that he could be as vicious as he is accused of being.”

Lincoln’s stomach dropped down into his shoes at those words. _They can’t release him, surely?_

“That being said, the evidence is right there before us, so we feel we have no choice. When there are that many people saying the same thing about someone, it tends to be true. Adrian Taylor, we find you guilty of all charges. However, Catherine and Gerard, we ask that you two do the sentencing, as Adrian is – or at least _was_ – a trusted Healer to most of us for many years.”

Relief strong enough to double Lincoln over rushed through his veins, leaving him gasping for breath. Draco leaned over immediately so he could whisper urgently in his ear, his hand running all over Lincoln’s back again.

“Promise me this isn’t a panic attack and I’ll give you the best celebration you’ll ever have tonight.”

Sitting up and dragging Draco into a deep kiss, Lincoln discovered that he did not care who saw them. “Free, Dray; I’m finally free from him.”

Elated as he was at the decision of the jury, he almost missed the sentencing. Draco had to nip at his lip to get his attention, then physically push him back away from him.

“Adrian Zachariah Taylor,” Catherine began, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Gerard and I have decided that in light of the severity of your crimes, you shall be detained in our maximum security prison. Lincoln will have access to you once every two weeks to make certain you do not go into withdrawal from his absence and your family will be allowed to visit once every three days. Beyond that, you are to be in isolation. Hopefully, the severity of this punishment will prevent anyone else from attempting something so stupid.”

The feeling of relief had not abated as Lincoln listened to Adrian’s sentencing. He had expected that he would have to travel to the Newcastle clan to keep Adrian alive, so that was not a surprise, but the ‘every two weeks’ part of it was. He put it down to Catherine and Gerard having to discourage anyone else from attempting to break another’s bond for any reason, then shoved it all to the back of his mind. Standing swiftly, he dragged Draco into a tight embrace.

“What kind of celebration did you have in mind?”


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so after the heaviness of the past few chapters I've decided I need some fluff. :) If this chapter looks a bit different to the others, it's because I've only just discovered the Rich Text option.Shows how much attention I pay :/

Sitting on the lounge in front of the bare Christmas tree, Harry smiled as excitement rushed through him. Sev was busy at work that day, leaving him alone to decorate the house. Not that Sev had any idea that Harry was going to decorate: it was going to be a surprise; hopefully a good one. He had already decorated the living room and the foyer – covering the doorways, stair banister, doors and windows with tinsel, winking lights, a wreath on the front door and a bit of mistletoe above the living room doorway – so all that was really left was the tree. Thinking that he should have just enough time to get it done before Sev got home, he could not prevent the excitement over the thought of cornering Sev beneath the mistletoe.

 

It had been a few days since the incident with Adrian and Harry had known that they both needed some time alone together, so they had spent the weekend holed up at home rather than splitting Sunday between seeing Andromeda and Teddy and the Weasley’s, as was their usual habit. It had felt strange not seeing them for their regular visit, but everyone had understood once Harry had explained what had happened. The thought of Adrian dragged back feelings Harry would have much preferred to bury beneath everything else and he felt a responding feeling of confusion flowing down the bond. The knowledge that his mate was monitoring him helped him to push the unwanted emotions to the back of his mind. Frowning – as it still felt weird to project what he was feeling on purpose – he concentrated on the sense of contentment warming his limbs and sent it back towards Sev, smiling when the confusion almost immediately abated.

 

Rubbing a hand over his now rather large belly as he stood, Harry sighed. _Seven months in a couple of days! It’s going so fast: I’ll be a dad in two months._

 

“What do you think of that, Baby? You’ll get to meet everyone in just two months,” he murmured to his belly. He had taken to speaking to Baby – as he had continued to think of his bump – more and more often these days, especially when Sev was at work. “How will you like that? I’m afraid you’ll be one of the most spoilt children to ever have existed, but I think that’s only fair. After everything we have gone through just to get you, I think you deserve to be showered with lots of toys and clothes and – when you’re older – you can play Quidditch. Your Father and I are going to spoil you rotten, and so are your Grandma Molly and Grandpa Arthur. That’s not to mention all of your Aunts and Uncles and all the kids they’re going to have, so you’ll have lots of little cousins to play with growing up...” He trailed off when a loud tapping sound reached his ears from the window. Making his way over to the window to haul it open, he smiled when he felt Baby kicking. “Like the sound of your Dad’s voice huh, Baby?”

 

The school owl he took the note from stood staring at him, obviously waiting for a response. Harry turned to grab a quill from the desk near the window as he unrolled the note, wondering who from the school could need him during the day, as he would have known if Sev was in any form of trouble. He recognised the neat script the second he had the note unrolled.

 

_I can always tell when you are speaking to Baby, you know. The sense of contentment gets warmer and a peace settles over you that no one else can create._

 

Smiling broadly as he stared at Sev’s neat handwriting, Harry knew his mate must be sensing this ridiculous happiness the note had caused. His eyes closed briefly at the thought that Sev had obviously been thinking of him to have noticed the change in his emotions, before he focussed on the note again. Glancing over at the clock above the mantelpiece, he grinned. Sev would not yet be out of the last class of the day, which meant that he had written the note during class time.

 

_You cause it as well. And I believe right at this moment you are supposed to be teaching the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff fifth years. Writing notes during class is a big no-no, Professor._

 

He rolled the bit of paper back up and presented it to the school owl, who flew off again after he had scratched its head. Turning back to the tree – he was absolutely determined to finish now – he pulled out a handful of decorations and began to hang them haphazardly. His Aunt had never allowed him anywhere near the tree when he was a child, but hers was always extremely neat and ordered. And, of course, there had never been a need to decorate any tree at Hogwarts, so this was the first time Harry had had a proper Christmas tree of his own. This year, he thought, he was going to have a Christmas that did not look like it came directly out of one of the fancy drawings in the children’s books Aunt Petunia had read to Dudley when he was young enough to not just get up and leave to watch TV instead. Those pictures had been so neat and tidy, making everything look like if you touched it, it would fall apart. That was no way to celebrate a holiday, in Harry’s opinion. His kids were going to get dirty and make snow angels and throw tinsel and glitter all around the house if they wanted to; they were going to be kids in a way that he had never been allowed to be. Combining glittering, snow-covered houses with colourful baubles and random bits of tinsel and tinkling bells, Harry was quite pleased with how the tree was turning out before another set of impatient-sounding raps on the window sounded. Glancing over to the clock on the mantelpiece again, he realised he had been at it for about twenty minutes now. He waddled over to the window and let the owl in.

 

_I should hope that the feelings I inspire in you would be slightly more complex than simple contentment and peace. And, if you truly wish it so, I shall never send you another note when I am supposed to be teaching again; I am well aware of your interest in all things academic._

 

Harry grinned again; he could almost hear the sarcasm in the words. He had been unsure if he would receive a response, especially considering he had been right: Sev was really not supposed to be writing to him during class. He had thought that pointing out that fact would annoy his mate; instead, the feelings drifting down the bond had the intensity Harry associated with Sev concentrating on him very carefully. He knew his mate was not the type to leave a class unattended or unsupervised so he figured, this close to the Christmas holidays, they must be doing some sort of revision. He vividly remembered absolutely hating the exam times in school, especially for the O.W.L’s. Glancing down at the note, he had to ask himself just how much Sev would allow him to get away with. His grin widening, he decided to simply go for it and see what happened.

 

_No, mostly you make me horny._

 

He stared down at the words, wondering if he should cross them out. Turning his focus inwards, he tried to discover if the note would be welcome if he did end up sending it. Unfortunately, Sev’s emotions mostly consisted of boredom and slight irritation; which were not so helpful, as that was what Sev felt like most of the time when stuck in a classroom full of bored students. It was the touch of impatience flowing down the bond that decided Harry on a course of action. Smiling as he put quill to parchment again, he knew that he was most likely asking for trouble.

 

_Don’t stop. Tell me what you would prefer to be doing instead of being stuck there._

 

Scratching the owl on the head again before it left, Harry had to wonder if the small amount of sense he possessed had just left him completely. Sure, Sev had lightened up quite a bit since they had first bonded, but had he lightened up enough to be able to accept the fact that Harry had just sent him a dirty letter? He could tell the second Sev read it: surprise flowed down the bond, followed swiftly by a strong rush of desire, then an almost equally strong rush of annoyance. Smiling wide as his mate made certain that Harry knew that it was all aimed directly at him by projecting it in a powerful burst, he knew that Sev had appreciated it.

 

He went back to decorating the tree with renewed energy. Figuring that it would take roughly the same amount of time for Sev to respond again, he was unprepared for the next owl to show up in just ten minutes. He had been trying to decide how to safely reach the top of the tree – as he had insisted on an extra tall one – when the tapping sound reached him again. Until he had come to Hogwarts he had been unaware that it was possible for owls to glare, but this one definitely was, standing outside the window with the note attached to its leg. It looked as though it was quite cold, so Harry hastened to reopen the window, wondering if maybe he had been wrong about how Sev had taken his last note.

 

_You, you annoying twerp._

 

The snort that left Harry was loud enough to startle the owl, who ruffled its feathers and shot him another glare. Baby also seemed to react to his mirth, as he – Harry was still hoping for a boy – gave him a kick to the ribs that any football player would have been proud of. The sense of smug satisfaction flooding down the bond told him Sev had also realised the effect the note had had on him and Harry could not help picturing Sev trying to hide a smile in the middle of a Potions class. An impatient ruffling from the owl had Harry quickly scribbling a response.

 

_I may need some inspiration. Give me details._

 

Glancing over to the clock again as he sent the owl away, he calculated that he had roughly half an hour before Sev was free. More than enough time to both finish the tree and give his imagination free rein. Deciding to just go with the easiest solution, he hovered a number of decorations up to the top of the tree, carefully placing them on the branches with the precise wand movements Hermione had taught him. She, too, apparently had difficulty in reaching the top of the tree – even more so than Harry, as she was shorter than him – and had asked Flitwick what the charms he had used to decorate the trees at Hogwarts were. Harry knew that he should not be surprised at Hermione’s ingenuity anymore, but it never failed to surprise him. He spent a peaceful twenty five minutes decorating the rest of the tree and was slightly shocked when the sound of the owl tapping at his window reached him again just as he was placing the star on the very top of the tree. Eagerly making his way over to the window, he grabbed at the – much longer this time – letter. The owl flew off this time, beating its wings harder than Harry thought necessary. He closed the window and moved back so he could sit on the lounge to read what his mate had written to him.

 

_Have I ever mentioned that your scent drives me to distraction? How you always manage to have that exact same earthy smell about you, I shall probably never know, but it absolutely takes my breath away. It is that scent that would drive me onwards if I was there with you: the way it mixes with the musk of your arousal is nearly enough to make me forget myself and focus solely on my own pleasure. But only nearly, as the sounds you make are too delicious to pass up: deep groans of pleasure that vibrate through my entire body, stoking the fire you can set with just a glance; your breath hitching when I hit just the right spot; tiny whimpers when you do not wish me to stop. Even now, as you read this, I can feel your excitement growing and nearly hear your heart rate accelerating._

 

Frowning at the last part, Harry stood, turning to face the living room door. Standing in the doorway was his mate, his dark eyes flashing with a level of desire that Harry was certain only he had ever seen. He opened his mouth to ask how Sev had done that – how he had known Harry would still be reading the note when he arrived home – but Sev anticipated him, moving swiftly around the lounge to gather Harry into his arms. The question died on Harry’s lips as he was drawn into a deep kiss. Winding his arms up over Sev’s shoulders, he could hear the crinkling of the now-crushed note in his ear as he pulled his mate closer. Uncaring what happened to it now he had the real thing in his arms, Harry clenched his fists in an attempt to stop making a fool of himself by giving in to the urge to simply Vanish all of their clothing and offering himself up to his mate without a word. Not that he thought Sev would turn the chance down – especially considering the strength of the desire he was now being flooded with down the bond – but it would be nice to know that he had more control over his body than his hormones did. Pulling back to create some breathing space for himself, he broke the kiss, earning himself a frustrated groan.

 

“What do you think?”

 

He waved his hand towards the tree, watching Sev’s face intently. His mate’s black eyes never wavered from his own, but they did crinkle at the corners a bit as a wicked smile crossed his face. Harry’s heart fluttered, although whether it was from desire or nerves, he had no idea.

 

“That you would look much better naked and panting for me.” This time it felt as though his heart had stopped altogether as he watched Sev close the gap between them in two short strides to gather him in his arms again. “The house looks wonderful, love.”

 

Warmth rushed through Harry’s limbs at the endearment. Torn between the need to allow Sev to do whatever he wanted to him and his own desire to just stand there in his mate’s arms, Harry tilted his face upwards, letting Sev decide which course to take. He was not disappointed: Sev’s arms tightened around him as he lightly brushed their lips together, going as slow as Harry had hoped so he could enjoy the warmth of being held so close. Opening his mouth to allow Sev access, Harry could not help smiling into the kiss as Sev’s spicy scent washed over him. He ran his hands up Sev’s arms, squeezing his biceps before tangling them both through Sev’s hair. The thought that it was not long enough for him to grasp hold of properly with both hands had Harry wondering what it would take to get Sev to show him his wings.

 

“I love you,” he whispered as he pulled back a bit, his mind still racing through possibilities. “I want you. Now.”

 

The responding growl and rush of pure lust down the bond had Harry grinning as Sev waved his wand at the lounge, widening it so they could both comfortably lie down. Stepping back so he was just out of his mate’s reach, Harry removed his own wand, Vanishing every stitch of clothing from the both of them. Sev’s responding smile had what felt like most of Harry’s blood rushing rapidly south, leaving him with only one thought left: get those wings out.

 

Moving closer again, Harry ran his fingers lightly over Sev’s Dark Mark, enjoying the responding shiver that ran through his mate. Altering Sev’s behaviour relating to his Mark had been Hermione’s idea, although Harry was fairly certain that she had not meant him to turn it into a sexual trigger; just for him to be able to reassure Sev when they were in public. Harry had not liked the idea that there was a part of his mate that he was not allowed to touch, so discovering that he could use it to turn Sev on rather than having him flinch away from him each time he tried to touch his forearm had been a revelation of sorts. He grinned as he repeated the action, sensing that Sev’s Veela side was also reacting to him. Placing his hands on Sev’s shoulders, he pushed him backwards until he sat down on the extended lounge.

 

“Lie down on your stomach.”

 

“Harry,” Sev began, a touch of ‘don’t be an idiot’ in his voice.

 

“Don’t ‘Harry’ me, Sev; I know what I’m doing.”

 

That was complete bullshit and Harry knew it, but he figured as long as Sev did not, then he might get away with it. It actually surprised him when his instructions were followed, albeit with a frown and no small amount of grumbling on Sev’s part. When his mate was lying face down on the lounge, Harry took a couple of seconds to admire the sight. He knew that Sev had never considered himself to be attractive in any way, but Harry simply could not get enough of seeing him naked. Moving so he was positioned between Sev’s legs, he ran his hands lightly up Sev’s thighs, pausing when he reached the whip marks at the top.

 

“Harry?” Sev’s voice was low and held desire strong enough that Harry nearly forgot what his goal was and demanded to be taken right then.

 

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured as he bent to place a light kiss on one of the scars, aware that his own voice was nearly shaking with desire.

 

Making his way slowly upwards, he kissed and licked each of the small scars as he could easily reach in his current position. He monitored the emotions coming down the bond carefully, closely keeping tabs on how close to the surface of Sev’s mind his Veela was. When he had lavished attention on as much of Sev’s thighs as he could reach, he moved upwards again, but not before nipping lightly at the skin of Sev’s arse, chuckling as it produced a rush of surprise and a seemingly involuntary jerk of Sev’s hips.

 

“Harry...” It was whispered this time and accompanied by a series of sharp jabs of lust.

 

“Let go Sev,” Harry whispered back as he bent again to bite softly on the skin of Sev’s lower back.

 

The groan that he received in response had Harry reaching around to begin preparing himself. There was no way he was going to wait any longer than he absolutely had to now that he knew exactly what he wanted. Pressing a finger inside himself, he hummed, vibrating the sound through Sev’s lower back. The sound of Sev’s breath huffing out of him in a rush as Harry ran his free hand up his side made Harry grin; he knew that he was going to get what he wanted. Moving up Sev’s back, Harry found himself assaulted by a range of emotions down the bond that left him slightly breathless. Desire was, of course, the strongest, but he was certain that it felt as though it was being restrained. Holding back a groan as he added a second finger, he leant up to hover just behind Sev’s ear. His mate had his hands clenched into tight fists and was breathing heavily, obviously holding himself back.

 

“It’s ok, Sev; don’t hold back on my account.”

 

The words seemed to release something inside his mate’s mind, as he felt a rush of what he could only describe as freedom flowing down the bond. It was light and happy and caused Sev to groan as the change came over him. Harry could not see his mate’s eyes, but he knew they were the first things to change, turning to a bright, shining silver. Next came Harry’s original goal: the lengthening of Sev’s hair. Sitting back on his heels – and consequently impaling himself on his fingers as a result – he ran his free hand through the lengthened strands, moving them out of the way of Sev’s wings. This is what Harry had been waiting for: Sev’s massive blue-black wings spread out from his shoulder blades, ruffling as he shook them out.

 

“Beautiful,” Harry whispered as he leant in to brush his fingers through the soft feathers.

 

The almost-whimper and jerk of Sev’s hips he got in response was enough to tell Harry that his mate was nearing overstimulation. He knew that if he continued to stroke his fingers through the feathers, then Sev would not be able to hold on and he would not get the release he now desperately needed. That knowledge, however, did not prevent him from bringing Sev to the very brink of orgasm, before backing off.

 

“No, don’t stop,” Sev protested, grinding his hips into the lounge in an obvious attempt to continue the stimulation.

 

Removing his fingers from his body, Harry leant down so he was lying on his side beside Sev, looking into his flushed face. “I want you, Sev.”

 

That was apparently all his mate needed to hear, as Harry found himself practically mounted from behind in a matter of seconds. Sev moulded their bodies together, his long-fingered hands grasping hold of Harry’s hips to guide him gently backwards. Harry bit down on his bottom lip as one of those hands left him to check how ready he was, holding back a groan of frustration. He knew that Sev’s Veela would never allow him to hurt Harry in any way, but what did Sev think he had been doing with his spare hand the past ten or so minutes? Grunting when Sev’s fingers did not do anything other than move slightly inside him, Harry pushed backwards, pressing the fingers inside him quickly.

 

“It is not fun to be teased, is it, Potter?”

 

Sev’s voice was low and rough, carrying all the lust Harry could feel down the bond. He knew he probably should have known that he would pay for not allowing Sev to come, especially considering he knew that his mate did not like to be teased.

 

“Please?” He also knew that, as aroused as he was, Sev would not be able to resist him for very long. “ _Gods_.”

 

Sev had hooked his fingers, rubbing them very deliberately against Harry’s prostate. He wriggled his hips, enjoying the shocks of pleasure for a few seconds before the fingers were removed. Harry’s breath hitched as he felt himself stretching around the head of Sev’s cock. He knew that their faster than usual pace was due to him teasing Sev into a frenzy and he allowed himself to enjoy the anticipation of sex that he knew was going to be rougher than Sev usually allowed. He arched his back, taking the hard cock into himself quickly. The resulting burn caused Harry to gasp, but it was more than worth it when he felt himself filled completely.

 

“Harry –”

 

“Move, Sev.”

 

Obeying with a soft grunt, Sev drew out and snapped his hips back in, causing Harry to groan. The sharp shock of pleasure he received was mixed with a slightly less-strong jab of pain. Arching into Sev’s thrusts in order to encourage him, Harry closed his eyes and enjoyed the ride. He felt his top leg nudged upwards by Sev’s knee, giving him better access. The movement allowed his mate to sink even deeper into Harry and he whimpered as the pressure built inside him. He knew he was not going to last very long, but the feelings pounding down the bond told him that neither was Sev, so he did not bother trying to hold himself back. Reaching to stroke a hand along his own aching cock, Harry met Sev thrust for thrust, his hips beginning to jerk of their own free will after a few more seconds. He managed to hold on until the second Sev’s teeth sunk down into the back of his neck, biting just hard enough that Harry knew he would have yet another hickey to Heal later on. Pulling his hand along his length one last time, Harry cried out as he began to come, spilling his release up over his hand and belly.

 

“Harry,” Sev groaned as his hips stilled nearly completely, moving only in small jerks as he coated Harry’s insides with jet after jet of hot cum.

 

“I love you, Sev,” Harry gasped as soon as he was able to speak again. He turned, allowing Sev to slide out of him as he searched out his mate’s lips. “I love you.”

 

A deep hum was the only response Sev seemed capable of as Harry brought their lips together. His breath was coming in short gasps, his wings fluttering in small movements and his eyes were glazed over; in short, he was the most beautiful man Harry had ever seen. Projecting what he was feeling down the bond caused Sev to smile.

 

“I love you too, you infuriating prat.”


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I like the Rich Text editor. Let me know if you like or don't like the changes :)

Harry hated waking up alone. It actually surprised him how quickly he had become adjusted to waking up with Sev lying next to him, despite knowing that it probably really should not have been surprising. Sev was his mate; of course it made sense for him to become accustomed to his presence quickly. Not that he would have actually said that to his mate, as he feared being told the pregnancy hormones were making him overly sentimental. Rolling out of bed, he took care of his pressing need for the bathroom before going in search of his wayward mate.

 

It did not take long to find him, as all he really had to do was follow the sense of contentment that got stronger as he got closer. The only problem he encountered was the stairs he had to descend before entering the living room. As much as he actually liked being pregnant, not being able to see his feet was just plain annoying. He found Sev sitting on the lounge in front of the fire, already dressed for the day.

 

“Why’d you let me sleep in?” His voice was soft – holding no accusation – and Sev smiled in response, sending a warm feeling through Harry’s chest.

 

“Because you need it. A decent night’s sleep is good for not just you, but our daughter as well.”

 

“Son,” Harry corrected him with a grin as he sank down on the lounge next to him. “What’s that?”

 

Watching Sev’s reactions carefully was a habit Harry thought he would never get out of; it had served him well before they had sealed his side of the bond. Eyeing his mate, Harry saw a slight frown form before Sev answered.

 

“A letter from Minerva. She has posted out a copy of the list of students staying for Christmas to each Head of House.” Harry knew that information was not worth frowning over, so he stayed silent, waiting for Sev to finish. “None of Slytherin House is staying.”

 

It took a few seconds for the importance of that statement to sink through Harry’s mind. “You think the other Houses are still bullying them?”

 

“I believe it to be a possibility, but I have no proof. None of the students have come to me to complain of being bullied and none of the Professors have mentioned anything.”

 

Harry ran a hand absentmindedly along Sev’s thigh, both enjoying the physical contact as well as offering comfort. He had not noticed anything beyond the usual House rivalries between the students when he had been teaching and he had actually been watching out for it after what had happened when they had been cleaning the school over the summer. Wondering if it was because the students all saw him as having some kind of power over them – which they would be correct in assuming now, it occurred to him – the idea of setting spies throughout the school sprang to mind.

 

“Sev, what if we could get the seventh- and eighth-years to sort of police the school? I know they’re all as sick of the fighting as we are, so maybe we could give them some kind of power, like the prefects?” He resisted the urge to roll his eyes as a wave of surprise washed over him from his mate.

 

“I would assume you do not mean like the Inquisitorial Squad?”

 

This time Harry did roll his eyes. “Of course not, but if they’re not showing hostility in front of anyone they see as having real power, like the Professors and prefects, then it makes sense to have a whole group of people who can give out detentions, or take House points, or even just nip off to tell someone else who can. We already know that the older students agree with us on this; that the Slytherin students didn’t have much of a choice, or weren’t involved at all. Why not use that to our advantage?”

 

He could feel Sev’s gaze on him before he even glanced up. The look of surprise that he expected to see on his mate’s face was not actually there. Instead, what he saw was eerily similar to respect. He smiled as he cocked an eyebrow at his mate in imitation of Sev’s favourite way of expressing a question.

 

“After seven months, there really should not be anything about you that surprises me anymore,” Sev murmured, his voice low. “But you do continue to amaze me.”

 

Warmth flooded Harry’s limbs again at the spark to Sev’s eyes. “So I’ll talk to Hermione and a few of the others today and see what we can get set up. There’s bound to be more than just the Gryffindors who are sick of all the fighting, so maybe Luna and – I don’t know, maybe Justin? – can help spread the word.”

 

“Harry,” Sev’s voice was rough, the spark Harry had seen in his eyes developing to desire rapidly. “I do not tell you how much I love you often enough.”

 

Shock rippled along Harry’s spine as Sev leant in to capture his lips. He really could not see what it was that he had done that had warranted this kind of reaction; at least, he could not until he turned his focus inwards. Pleasure, joy and pure love untainted with the want of reciprocation hit him with an intensity that had him gasping into the kiss. A pleased hum vibrated through his lips as Sev pressed closer, rubbing his hand along the swell of Harry’s belly. Desire ran unchecked down the bond, matching Harry’s own as he spread his legs, giving Sev better access as his hand slipped down the front of Harry’s boxers. He knew from the levels of lust he was being hit by that Sev was much further along than he was; that once Harry had come, it would not take very much for Sev to join him.

 

With that knowledge in mind, Harry set about bringing his mate to orgasm in the only way he could at that moment. Leaning back so his head rested against the armrest behind him, Harry made absolutely certain that he did not break the kiss. Letting his hands roam all over Sev’s back, he massaged the tense muscles he found, relaxing his mate as much as possible. He had to hold back a needy whimper as Sev’s fingers brushed over the head of his aching cock, mixing his now rapidly-forming pre-cum with his natural lubricant. Holding his breath to prevent himself from coming too early, he slipped his own hand downwards, managing to work it into the top of Sev’s trousers. He received a jerk of Sev’s hips the second his fingers wrapped around his mate’s throbbing cock, stroking slowly. Falling into a rhythm quickly, Harry used his free hand to knot into Sev’s hair, holding him still above him as he felt himself coming closer. One twist of Harry’s wrist was all it took for Sev’s hips to jerk uncontrollably and hot jets of cum to start spurting up over his hand. A loud groan reached his ears as Sev’s hand jerked downwards, apparently by chance, and brushed against Harry’s swollen sac. The added stimulation – however accidental it may have been – was more than enough to bring Harry to a gasping orgasm. The kiss was broken as Harry’s back arched and his entire body spasmed in pleasure.

 

“Sev,” he gasped as his mate collapsed onto the lounge beside him, panting heavily.

 

“Hmm?” The sound – because there was no way Harry could call that a word – was deep; Sev sounding like he was almost comatose with pleasure already.

 

Harry smiled. He knew he could never fail to be amused that he could bring Sev to the point that he could not respond in English any longer. “I love you, too.”

 

*~*

 

“He can wait a few hours, Draco. Christmas day is for your family.”

 

Clenching his jaw as red-hot anger boiled through his veins, Draco had to take a deep breath so he would not abuse his mother. Glancing down to where her face was in his fire, he applied all of his Occlumency skills against the thrumming anger in an attempt to not allow it to show on his face.

 

“Link _is_ family, Mother, and you know it.” He knew his insolent tone would earn him a lecture, but at this point he really did not care. “Aunt Andromeda has never even spoken to me before, so why should I spend Christmas day with her?”

 

Narcissa had floo-called him early in the morning to break the news that she had accepted an invitation from her sister to Christmas lunch with her and her grandson. It was now quite close to the time he had to leave his suite of rooms to begin classes for the day and Draco was still trying to work out exactly _why_ his mother had done something like that without consulting him first. He figured that she must have known that he would put up an incredible resistance to the idea of not spending all of Christmas day with Link, which was why she had called him so early. Truth be told, he completely understood his mother’s desire to re-connect with her long-lost sister. The problem he was having was that the initial re-connection the two wanted to make interrupted what was supposed to be his first Christmas with his mate. Admittedly, he would be waking up with Link and meeting back up with him in the afternoon, but that really did not make a difference to his stubborn stance.

 

“Draco Lucius Malfoy –” _Here we bloody go..._ “I did not raise you to speak to your Mother like that. You have a reputation to uphold as a Malfoy, as well as being one of the last surviving Blacks. Both sides of your family have always placed a high value on the importance of family – which in this case refers to your blood-relatives – and you will _not_ be the first of any generation to ignore that importance. This goes beyond the old blood purity prejudices and impacts on your personal values. You will show your elders the respect they deserve young man, or you will suffer the consequences.”

 

“Yes, Mother, I apologise,” he mumbled, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “But can you please hear me out?”

 

Draco had expected his plea to be met with a negative reaction, but all he received was a curt nod of his mother’s head. He took a few seconds to order his thoughts, knowing that only a well-organised argument would sway his mother’s opinion. The fact that he was trying to persuade her to allow him to break tradition should not have any kind of impact on his arguments, he figured, but he found it almost impossible to resist the urge to refer to her past with his father. The two of them had not had a traditional courting in any sense of the word and he could not get past the hypocrisy she was displaying. In fact, it seemed so important to how he was going to argue his way into being allowed his own way that he led with their past, rather than trying to skip around it. If she saw his relationship with Link as at least being similar to the one she shared with his father, then maybe Narcissa would allow it.

 

“Do you remember what it was like when you first realised that Father was your mate? There would have been a constant tug towards him; the need to be near him all the time; the hollow feeling when you were away from him for too long?” He knew he was exaggerating the effects of even a true bond between full-bloods, but he figured that the thicker he laid the guilt on, the better chance he had of his mother allowing him to spend the full day with Link. “Add everything we’ve been through over the past few months on top of that and I really don’t think it would be wise for me to leave him for the entire day; not on a day as special as Christmas.” He held his breath, hoping against hope that he had managed to convince her.

 

“Draco, are you forgetting that for the first few years after we sealed our bond, both your father and I were with other people? We did not get together and have a proper relationship until we had both had multiple lovers. And do not give me that look, young man: it is a perfectly healthy thing for me to have had lovers besides your father.” Draco was trying incredibly hard to wipe the grimace off his face – truly he was – but the idea of either of his parents as a sexual being was completely disgusting to him. Sure, he had seen them being all sappy when they thought they were alone, but the idea of them having _sex_... He shuddered. “I know for a fact that you leaving Lincoln with his family for the day will have absolutely no detrimental effects on either of you, so that line will not work on me either. Would you care to try again?”

 

Draco shot her a glare at the sarcasm without thinking. Thankfully, it only received a laugh rather than another lecture. Sitting back on his heels, he sighed as he realised that this was an argument that he was bound to lose.

 

“Lunch with your sister and nephew? How is Father taking this news?”

 

A strange look flashed across his mother’s face before she answered. “Andromeda has not extended the invitation to Lucius.” Draco was absolutely certain he was about to break a rib with his attempt to hold in the burst of laughter that was threatening to overwhelm him. “They have never seen eye-to-eye on anything, even back in school. The fact that she married a... _muggle-born_... has never sat well with your father, but it is something I am willing to overlook if it means I can re-connect with her.”

 

Taking a steadying breath, Draco forced himself to sober. It was obvious that this meant a lot to his mother, so maybe he should make the effort? Aunt Andromeda had extended the invitation to include him as well and it would be rude for him to turn it down. And who knew what kind of damage that such an action could do to his future relationship with the woman? What if he turned this one down and was then as much an outcast to her as his father? He was uncertain he could do that to his mother. He briefly closed his eyes, having unconsciously made the decision already.

 

“Alright, Mother; you win. I’ll explain things to Link, I’m sure he’ll understand.” The wide smile he received in response was almost worth the effort.

 

“Thank you, Draco. I am sure you will not regret this.”

 

*~*

 

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

 

“I’m watching the movement of the Wrackspurts around your head.”

 

“‘Wrackspurts’?”

 

“Yes; you’re infested.”

 

Harry shot Hermione a grin as he walked up in the middle of Luna’s explanation. Justin, looking vaguely horrified, shifted his seat over so he wasn’t within easy reaching distance of Luna. He had known that asking both Justin and Luna to come to lunch in Hogsmeade was probably asking for trouble, but he did not want to waste a bit of his weekend on Justin, so he had no other real choice. Moving into Luna’s eye line, he was greeted with a bright smile, one that warmed him despite his misgivings about this lunch.

 

“Harry; both you and your daughter are looking well,” she greeted him, smiling serenely.

 

“Er, thanks, Luna,” he mumbled, frowning slightly when he realised that she had said ‘daughter’.

 

“What is it you wanted then, Potter? I should really be studying right now.”

 

Harry, completely unable to prevent it, scowled at the tone to Justin’s voice. “Actually, we’re still waiting for someone else.”

 

“Well who is it? I really do have...” Justin’s voice trailed off as his entire body stiffened, his eyes locked on something over Harry’s shoulder. “What’s _he_ doing here?”

 

“I was invited.”

 

Harry had to work incredibly hard to not smirk at the look of horror on Justin’s face at Draco’s cold tone. Having worked closely with the git for the past few months, Harry knew that the cold, hard exterior Draco put up was a front, but in this case, it might actually help. If Draco was able to intimidate Justin into keeping his mouth shut long enough to hear Harry out, then all the better.

 

“Yes, he was,” Harry stated as Draco took the seat between him and Luna. “I invited all of you here because there are problems with some of the students at the school and we need the help of all the Houses to make it right. Now, Justin, if you don’t think you can sit there and listen while Draco is here, then I could always go and find Hannah, but I’d much rather not, because people tend to listen when you speak.”

 

It was unfortunate, but true: as much as Harry disliked Justin at times, he was outspoken and the Hufflepuffs looked up to him. Hannah, on the other, had always been quiet and so softly spoken that she tended to get trampled in conversations with more outgoing personalities. He waited until Justin had nodded before continuing.

 

“Good. Ok, so, er,” he paused, took a deep breath and let it out. He had forgotten how much he hated being the centre of attention like this. “Well, Sev and I have noticed that there’s still quite a bit of hostility towards the Slytherin students and we think that we might have a solution. What we want to do is get the seventh- and eighth-years to step in when they see something. We don’t want to give them permission to hex people in the halls, or anything like that, but we figured that if they had some kind of power to take points, or give detentions, then it would make life a lot easier on the Slytherins. Maybe if we show the rest of the younger students that they have nothing to fear from the Slytherins, then that could stop the bullying.”

 

The silence that followed this statement made Harry wonder if he had made proper sense. But then, if he had not, someone would have asked him to clarify, right? Glancing around the table, he tried to read the expressions of the others. As always, Draco was impossible, so Harry gave up on him fairly quickly. Hermione looked thoughtful; Luna seemed to be staring off into space and Justin... Well, Justin never looked happy, Harry figured, so his current scowling expression was not so much a surprise. What did come as a surprise was the fact that Draco was the first to speak up, breaking the stifling silence.

 

“How would that work? If we give the current seventh- and eighth-years the power to give out detentions, wouldn’t we just have to continue that for the rest of the seventh-years in years to come?” His voice was quiet, not holding any of the scorn that Harry was so used to hearing from him.

 

Thankful that Draco at least seemed to be taking him seriously, Harry let out a breath he had not been aware he was holding. “No; all we need it to do is to ride out the aftermath of the War. By the time the residual resentment over the Slytherin’s supposed roles in the War dies down, we shouldn’t need the extra help in keeping the bullying under control.”

 

“Sorry, Harry, but why are _we_ here?” Hermione waved a hand to indicate her, Luna and Justin, a small frown on her face. “Shouldn’t you be talking to the Professors about this? Or maybe even the Headmistress?”

 

“That’s what Sev is doing right now. We figured that there was no real point in getting permission to give the older students this kind of power over the younger ones without asking some of the students themselves whether they think it would work, or whether they would accept that kind of power in the first place. And before you ask,” he added as Justin shot Draco a glare. “Draco’s here because there aren’t any eighth-year Slytherins who came back and only three seventh-years. I don’t know any of the seventh-years and figured it would just intimidate them if they showed up to see us here and that’s kind of the opposite of what I want to work towards here.”

 

Harry glanced over just in time to see Draco smothering an amused look. _Well, at least someone is finding Justin entertaining. Maybe I should have just gone with Hannah instead?_

 

“I think it’s incredibly kind of you to think of the other students, Harry.” Harry blinked at the sound of Luna’s voice; quiet, but determined once you knew what to listen for. “I would like to help.”

 

Harry was fairly certain that even if he had wanted to, he would have been completely unable to prevent the huge smile that crossed his face as he met Luna’s wide blue eyes. Turning to Justin with a determined look, Harry settled down into his seat properly – having been sitting up straight to help make his point – and began to set out the plan he and Sev had worked out that morning. Judging by the sounds of agreement the others began making, it looked like they would be able to sort something out that could help the Slytherins out, at least a little. When even Justin began to put his two cents in, Harry decided that yes, it had been a very good idea that he had had that morning and began to allow himself to feel the enthusiasm for the ideas that were flowing around the small table in the Three Broomsticks.


	43. Chapter 43

Anticipation rippled along Draco’s skin as he made his way through the Children’s Trauma Ward towards the small reception area. This was the first time he had gotten off work earlier than Link – due to him staying up late to finish his marking the night before – and he was looking forward to being able to surprise him. Sinistra probably had no idea just how grateful Draco was that she was willing to take over his Head of House duties for the weekend, but Draco made certain that the potions she requested he brew were as near to perfect as he could make them. Clenching his hands by his side as he rounded the corner that led to the reception area, he swallowed down the enormous grin that kept trying to force its way out.

“Good afternoon, Margaret,” he greeted the middle-aged receptionist with just a shadow of the smile he was fighting against. This was the first time he had seen her since before he and Link had broken up and he found that it was actually a comfort knowing that she was here looking after his mate when Link refused to look after himself. He frowned when she stood with a steely look in her eyes. “Margaret?”

“Mr. Malfoy. What can I do for you?” There was a hardness to her voice that Draco had never heard before.

“I – um,” he stuttered, completely thrown off balance by the coldness he had been greeted with. “I wanted to see Link...” He trailed off when all he received was another almost-glare.

“I’ll see if he is free.”

Draco made a grab towards her as she made to send a memo, causing her to stiffen with what was obviously indignation. Holding his hands up in front of him so she could see he meant no harm, Draco backed off, realising what his actions must have looked like.

“Please, Margaret, you know me; you know I would never hurt you. It’s just,” he paused, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “This is the first time I’ve gotten off work before Link and I was hoping to surprise him. Maybe take him out instead of allowing him to sit in his office buried under a mound of paperwork. You’ve said yourself that he overworks when he thinks he can get away with it, so I wanted to prevent it this one time.”

He watched Margaret carefully, seeing her going over his words. It was strange for her to be reacting this way to him – almost as though she was unsure if Link would want to see him – but he knew that mentioning Link’s habit of working himself too hard should probably prove that he was serious. He frowned when she shot him a glare.

“The last I heard, Mr. Malfoy, you and Healer Northam had nothing to do with each other. The two of you split up and he was on his own. _Again_.” The accusation in her voice almost caused Draco to smile. Yes, his mate was well looked after here, whether he knew it or not. “So why would you come in here looking to take him out?”

“Maybe because we got back together about two months ago?”

“Two months? If that were true, then why has his behaviour not changed? Up until very recently, he was still as stressed and miserable as he had been when you first left him.”

This time Draco did smile. Up until recently – the past fortnight, in fact – Link had still been able to sense Adrian through the partial bond they shared. He had obviously neglected to explain the situation to Margaret, though, which would be why she was putting up so much resistance to Draco right now. Not knowing how much she knew about Link’s heritage, Draco decided to go with the simplest explanation he could.

“We’ve been through a lot these past two months. There’s been a lot we’ve had to sort out between us so we could get back to the kind of relationship that we both need.” He paused again, thinking back over the change in Link since he had put that necklace on. The serious tone to his voice had lightened and the glint of humour Draco had missed so much had returned to his eyes seemingly as soon as Adrian’s Trial had finished. He was slowly but surely getting _his_ Link back and it was one of the most exciting things that had ever happened to him. “I can swear to you, though, that I am looking after him as well as I can. I need to see him happy and safe just as much as you do and that is what I’m aiming at making him.”

The wide smile that shone up at him was totally unexpected, as he had thought that Margaret would insist on sending the memo off to Link anyway and completely destroying any chance Draco had of surprising him. Meeting her eyes, Draco saw the motherly look that he had been so used to seeing from her return to them.

“In that case, off you go then. He should still be in his office.”

With a swift nod of his head, he moved off down the hallway, heading towards the blue door that Link apparently hid behind. The smile that he had been fighting against spread across his face as he rounded the corner that would lead him to Link’s office. He had not thought that Margaret would be so overprotective, despite knowing that she considered herself to be some kind of grandmotherly type to ‘her’ team. It was definitely good to know that Link had the kind of support system he needed here. Shaking the thoughts from his mind as he reached Link’s office, Draco did not even bother to knock, simply opening the door and slipping inside.

“I thought I said I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

The words came out as a growl as Link scribbled on a sheet of parchment, completely ignoring Draco. Smiling in response, Draco moved as quietly as possible across the room and around the desk, enjoying the spark of tension he could feel building in his stomach. When he received no response, Link glanced up, a deep frown on his face.

“Dra–”

The exclamation was cut short as Draco pressed their lips together, sliding his tongue into Link’s mouth. A deep groan vibrated between them as Link’s hands grasped hold of Draco’s hips, dragging him forward into his lap. Draco went more than willingly, spreading his legs so he could settle down properly. Link’s hands ran up and down Draco’s back, pinching and squeezing the areas he obviously knew would have Draco squirming. Draco’s own hands were just as restless, tugging on the loose dreadlocks he could reach and tracing the shell of Link’s ear. It was after Draco had been playing with Link’s ear for a few seconds that Link’s hands stilled on his back, tightening to pull Draco flush up against him. The press of Link against him had Draco’s pulse rising rapidly and he wriggled his hips, testing to see if Link was having the same problem he was. When the action received a moan and what seemed to be a very deliberate jerk of Link’s hips, Draco grinned, knowing exactly what was coming. Link broke the kiss with a gasp, his back arching in obvious pleasure.

“Up.” Draco whined a little at the command and wriggled his hips again, much preferring the stimulation he was getting where he was. “Get up and take those jeans off or I’ll Vanish them and you’ll have to walk out of here half-naked.”

“Mmm,” Draco responded with a small smile as he opened his eyes to see amusement glinting out of Link’s eyes as he watched him. “It’d serve you right if I made you follow through on these threats you make.”

Sliding back off Link’s lap, Draco divested himself of the offending clothing as quickly as possible, desire building up in him as he watched Link do the same. He gave Link just enough time to reach into a warded drawer of his desk to grab the lube before moving back to settle down again. Leaning back in to capture Link’s lips, Draco could not help the groan he let out when he felt a slick finger probing at his entrance. He sat down, forcing Link to breach him straightaway.

“Hey, c’mon, be careful,” Link grumbled despite the desire flaring in his eyes. “This isn’t an injury you want to have to be here for.”

“That’s what I have you for isn’t it?” Draco grinned as he moved on Link’s finger. “Besides, I’m used to things a lot thicker than your finger.”

“‘Things’, plural?” Link’s grin matched Draco’s as he added a second finger.”And you do realise you just reduced me to a glorified sex toy, right?”

It was then that Link hooked his fingers in just the right direction, brushing against Draco’s prostate. Draco’s response changed to a deep groan as he stopped moving completely. His eyes fluttered closed and he fell forward, knowing Link would catch him. Biting down on his bottom lip as he landed against Link’s chest, Link’s free arm coming up to hold him close, Draco was fairly certain he had forgotten how to breathe properly. Little gasps of breath made it into his lungs between whimpers as Link massaged his prostate, leaving him lightheaded. The only reprieve Draco received was when Link paused in the torture to add a third finger. Draco dragged in a deep breath, causing Link to laugh.

“Sometimes it’s way too easy to get you going,” he murmured in Draco’s ear as he scissored the fingers.

“You’re cheating,” Draco managed to gasp out around the waves of desire crashing through him, while still trying to catch his breath at the same time. Link’s quiet laugh vibrated through Draco’s chest in response, causing him to press closer.

“You’d prefer I go slower and run the risk of being interrupted? MacMillan is due to start soon; I’m sure he would just _love_ to come across us like this.”

“He’d just be jealous that I scored you before he could.”

“He’s married.”

“So?”

“And straight.”

Draco huffed out a laugh against Link’s neck as he pressed down on the fingers inside him. “Are you going to fuck me, or are you going to talk about MacMillan all afternoon?”

The gasp Link gave could have been either surprise at Draco’s words or desire, but Draco did not really care to find out which one, as the fingers left him soon after. The press of Link’s hard cock against his entrance as Link slowly lowered Draco downwards stole Draco’s breath away again and he moaned in pleasure against Link’s neck. He did not move until Link had himself settled inside him completely, his hands flexing on Draco’s hips. Sliding his lips along the line of Link’s jaw, Draco nipped at the corner of his mate’s mouth before drawing him into a deep kiss. Link’s earthy scent surrounded Draco, mixing in with their combined musk as he began to move.

Draco tugged on the length of leather tying Link’s hair back, freeing it so he could grasp a handful of dreads to stabilise himself. They were Draco’s connection to the real world as he moved, sending himself higher and higher as the pressure built up inside him. The whine he let out as one of Link’s hands left his hip was quickly stifled when it returned to grasp his increasingly insistent erection. The extra stimulation caused Draco’s head to spin with lust and he broke the kiss to rest their foreheads together.

“Link,” he gasped as Link twisted his wrist, dragging another whine out of Draco. “I... I...” It was all the warning he could give before he came with a deep groan, drenching both of their shirts with spurts of hot cum.

Link milked him for everything he had, stroking his spasming cock until he had nothing left to give. Once Draco was completely spent, Link’s hand moved back to his hip, raising him up and slamming him down again. Link’s head fell back against the chair with a groan of his own when Draco clenched his muscles, encouraging him onwards. It only took two more thrusts – with Link meeting Draco on the downstroke – before Link stilled beneath him, his fingers clenching on Draco’s hips as he came deep inside him. Settling down into Link’s embrace as he felt the mindless bliss following his orgasm begin to overtake him, Draco smiled. Yes, he definitely had _his_ Link back.

*~*

Warmth surrounded Harry so suddenly that he blinked himself awake. Squeezing his eyes shut and opening them wide a couple of times, he realised belatedly that his glasses must have either fallen off while he slept or had been removed. A blanket must have been draped over him, he figured, waking him up from the dream he had been lost in. When a blurry black blob moved suddenly into his vision, he smiled. Blinking up at Sev as he knelt down beside the lounge Harry had been sleeping on, the physical warmth seemed to spread through his entire body. One of Sev’s hands brushed Harry’s fringe away from his forehead so Sev could place a soft kiss on his brow.

“Go back to sleep, love. I did not mean to wake you.”

“Mmm,” was the only response Harry could make before sleep claimed him again.

He had spent the entire day with Andromeda and Teddy, shopping in Diagon Alley. Not having had any contact with any babies other than Teddy, Harry had not realised just how exhausting having an eight-month-old could be. Of course, he had put it down to the fact that he was due to give birth in just over six weeks, rather than believe that his own child could possibly be this exhausting. The reason he had wound up so tired at the end of the day could have nothing to do with the fact that he had no idea just how much work was involved with a screaming child, right? It all had to be due to the fact that the pregnancy tired him out much faster than usual. Andromeda had smiled indulgently at him when he had started yawning just after lunch and had slowed her steps so she could keep pace with Harry’s much slower waddle as they wandered through the shops. All in all, Harry thought that it had been a very good day, despite the fact that he had collapsed, completely exhausted, onto the lounge when he had arrived home and had only woken when Sev had covered him with the warm blanket from the back of the lounge.

When he next woke, it was to discover that he was not alone this time. He figured that he must have fallen into a very deep sleep, as instead of the arm of the lounge that his head had been resting on, he was now in Sev’s lap. The warm waves of contentment that were flowing down the bond held Harry in place for a few seconds, simply enjoying knowing that his mate was happy. He did not stay still for long, however, as the slow circles Sev’s hand was making on his lower back caused him to arch automatically into the touch, earning himself a low chuckle from his mate.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Potter.”

The subtle hint of amusement in Sev’s voice as Harry stretched against him sent desire thrilling through him, but he held it in check for the time being. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he found his glasses presented to him when he automatically tried to blink the blur from his eyes again. He smiled as Sev swam into focus the second he replaced the glasses.

“How was your day with Andromeda?”

“Good; tiring, but good.” Harry moved close enough to brush his lips against Sev’s before pulling back. “We were talking about Christmas day.”

“Indeed? I would assume they have been invited to Molly’s as well.”

Harry could not prevent the smile that crossed his face at the realisation that Sev had simply assumed that they would be seeing Harry’s Godson on Christmas day. “They were, but Andromeda had to turn it down. She wants to get back in touch with Narcissa, so that’s who they’re going to be spending the day with.”

Sev eyed Harry for a few seconds before responding. “That news does not seem to be worthy of the smile on your face. What are you not telling me?”

Harry’s smile widened at the knowledge that this particular bit of gossip would probably bring one of Sev’s rare, true smiles to his face. “She’s banned Lucius from coming with them. Only Narcissa and Draco have been invited. She said that Lucius will only be allowed to join them if he can prove that he has no ill-intentions towards either her or Teddy.”

Pleasure spread through Harry’s stomach as he was proven correct: he got a small glimpse of the wide smile that spread across his mate’s face before Sev ducked his head, allowing his hair to fall in front of his face. Leaning in to brush the hair away, Harry met Sev’s eyes, the mirth he saw there feeding the desire building inside him. Unable to resist, he closed the small gap between them and drew Sev into a soft kiss.

“Beautiful,” he murmured before drawing back, knowing that his mate would be slightly embarrassed by his declaration.

Almost on cue, a feeling of embarrassment washed down the bond, combined with disbelief. Harry bit back a sigh; one day, he would manage to convince Sev that he found _him_ physically attractive and not just his Veela side. He was not going to pick a fight just then, however, as he was enjoying the peace of simply sitting there with his mate too much.

“I, too, have some news that will interest you.” Sev’s voice was low, but void of any lingering embarrassment, for which Harry was thankful. “That plan of yours seems to be having an effect at the school. Both Draco and I were approached today by some of the older students who had witnessed Slytherin students being bullied by others. It appears as though we may be able to start protecting the younger ones from the repercussions of the War.”

Pleasure rocked through Harry’s body at the tone of pride in Sev’s voice as he spoke. He had known for months now that Sev both loved and desired him, but it had never occurred to him that his mate was proud of him. The grin he offered up in response was slightly embarrassed as the feeling coming down the bond did not waver. Sev was proud of him; perhaps even proud to be his. Moving to he could straddle his mate, Harry grinned as the emotions flowing down the bond changed rapidly to desire.

“I love you, Sev,” he whispered as he leant in to claim his mate’s lips.

*~*

“When you said you wanted to go out, I really didn’t think actually meant outside,” Lincoln grumbled good-naturedly as he sat down on a bench at the back of the Malfoy estate. The slowly falling snow had covered everything in a light dusting over the past few hours, making the Manor look like a Christmas card.

“Oh, quit complaining; this’ll be fun.” The amusement in Draco’s voice sent a trickle of warmth through Lincoln’s stomach, causing him to smile in response. “You do know how to skate, right?”

Glancing out over the frozen pond in front of him, Lincoln debated what to say. He had learned when he was a child, but had not skated for about ten years now. Tightening the laces, he stood, his smile widening as he found he could still balance at least.

“I used to be able to.”

Pushing off the edge of the pond with one foot, he glided out around the edge, falling into a slow rhythm. He discovered that the main problem he was going to face was getting used to the skates, as the ones he had used for years had been heavy and clunky; these were smaller and more delicate. It was obvious they were expensive, whereas Lincoln’s old ones had belonged to his father before him and had been at least ten years old when he had used them. Yet, despite the difference, he found himself skating quite easily around the edge of the pond. After a few laps, he glanced up to where Draco still sat on the bench. The desire written clear on his face was nearly enough to have Lincoln stumbling to a stop in front of him.

“Dray?”

Instead of answering, Draco stood and quickly glided over the ice towards him. Lincoln caught him, wrapping his arms around his waist as he pressed close. They glided backwards with the force Draco had hit him, but Lincoln knew that they were a fair distance from the edge of the pond, so he focussed instead on his mate in his arms.

“You are so fucking sexy, it’s unbelievable,” Draco growled as he leant in to trail hot lips along Lincoln’s jaw.

“What –” Lincoln’s question was cut off as Draco crushed their lips together. “Mmm... Hey, no, wait!”

Draco merely laughed as he pulled back and skated just out of Lincoln’s reach, skating backwards with a huge grin on his face. Gathering what was left of his slightly scattered wits, Lincoln pushed off again, giving Draco the chase he obviously wanted. He had to admit that he kept to a slower pace so he stayed behind Draco, simply enjoying the view. Draco’s thick woollen trousers moulded to his toned arse as his legs flexed, giving Lincoln ideas of exactly what they would be doing when Draco finally tired of playing in the snow. Grinning as Draco glanced over his shoulder, Lincoln raised an eyebrow at him in silent question.

“I thought you said you could skate,” Draco called back to him before spinning around to continue backwards. It was obvious he knew the pond incredibly well, as he managed to take the turns without slowing down too much.

“Why would I want to catch you when I could watch you move instead?”

“Trust you to turn my innocent childhood memories into something perverted!”

The look in Draco’s eyes was almost the furthest thing from innocent Lincoln could imagine, spurring him on. He waited until Draco had taken the next turn safely before putting on a sudden burst of speed. Draco’s eyes widened, but he was not quick enough to prevent Lincoln from grabbing him around the waist. Lincoln twisted, grasping hold of Draco more firmly as he fell backwards into a snowdrift beside the pond. Draco landed on top of him with a soft grunt, a bright smile on his face. Reaching up to brush a few flakes of snow from Draco’s fringe, Lincoln smiled back. He was fully aware that he had not completely been himself during the three months he had had to put up with Adrian, but it felt as though he was making up for it now, with Draco encouraging him every step of the way. Drawing Draco in for a soft kiss, Lincoln felt surprise flitter through him when Draco pulled back after only a few seconds.

“Mate; _my_ mate,” Draco whispered in the tiny gap he had created between them.

Pure delight burst in Lincoln’s chest, spreading out through his nerves until it felt as though his entire body tingled with a happiness he had not thought possible just a few short months ago. “Yes, cariad; I’ll always be yours.”


	44. Chapter 44

Christmas had always been Lincoln’s favourite holiday and he knew this year would be special. He finally had a mate – a true mate – and that fact was sending pleasure tingling through his body. Draco’s presence in his life had had many effects on him – some good, some bad – but it was the mere fact that he was _there_ that Lincoln focussed on that morning. Of course, the fact that Draco was currently trailing feather-soft touches up and down Lincoln’s spine in an obvious attempt to wake him was taking up a lot of that focus. Lincoln froze as much as possible, simply enjoying the feeling of having Draco’s hands on him and his hot breath puffing over his shoulders. He could not hold on for long, however, as the touches became more and more insistent. The shiver of pleasure he gave when Draco’s fingers travelled up his side had his mate laughing.

“I was wondering how long you could hold out,” Draco whispered as he trailed his lips down Lincoln’s spine, drawing another shudder out of him.

“Mmm,” Lincoln responded, displaying the level of his thought processes at that particular moment. Draco’s answering laugh vibrated pleasantly through Lincoln’s entire body, causing him to smile. Flipping over so he lay on his back, he dragged Draco up so he was hovering over him. “Good morning to you, too.”

The kiss that followed was supposed to be slow, soft and full of everything that Lincoln was feeling at that moment, but could find no way of expressing verbally. What it turned into was about as far from that as they could get that early in the morning. Draco lowered himself so he was lying on top of Lincoln, wriggling until he was apparently comfortable. The slide of that lightly muscled body on top of him increased Lincoln’s heart rate unbelievably fast and he let out a deep groan as Draco tugged on a handful of his hair.

“I want you,” Draco pulled back to whisper against Lincoln’s lips. “Right now.”

The slow roll of Draco’s hips against his had effectively cleared Lincoln’s mind of anything even vaguely resembling proper English, so he just hummed in acknowledgement. Running his hands up Draco’s back earned Lincoln a delightful shiver and a breathy moan as he kneaded his fingers into his mate’s shoulders. Forcing himself to focus, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Do you want your present first?”

Sitting up from where he had been sucking on the pulse point in Lincoln’s throat, Draco grinned. “Would you have to move to get it?”

Lincoln merely shook his head as he reached over to the bedside table. Nerves fluttered through his stomach as he pulled the small gift from the top drawer. He had not even had to think about what it was he wanted to get for Draco but, now that it came down to it, a sudden worry had settled in the back of his mind. What if this was something Draco had changed his mind about wanting? Clutching the package in his hand, he knew it was too late to back out now. Draco’s position on top of him prevented Lincoln from sitting up, but he found that it might actually be easier from his prone position. Holding the present out on the palm of his spread hand, he smiled nervously.

“Happy Christmas, cariad.”

His eyes widening, Draco took it gingerly from Lincoln’s hand, causing Lincoln’s smile to widen. The look of wonder that crossed Draco’s face as he pulled the paper off the two small vials told Lincoln that he had recognised what was in the bottles. He watched Draco’s face closely, trying to work out exactly what he was feeling from his expression.

“These are...” Draco’s grey eyes met with Lincoln’s and, for once, Lincoln could read his mate completely. 

“Vinculum,” he responded quietly, slightly astonished at the sheer amount of love shining out of Draco’s eyes.

The two small vials clinked together as Draco grasped them tightly before leaning in to draw Lincoln into another deep kiss. Vinculum was incredibly difficult to make and only a select few Potions Masters were ever able to successfully brew a batch. Lincoln had shelled out more than he would ever be willing to admit to be able to share this experience with his mate. When taken, Vinculum mimicked the emotional bond of a true creature Inheritance. Unfortunately, it only lasted for two hours, making the difficulty of brewing it an incredibly frustrating process. He gasped in surprise when Draco pulled back, sitting up fully while he straddled Lincoln’s hips.

“I, um...” Draco frowned and glanced over his shoulder, obviously contemplating something.

“Dray?”

“Wait here.”

Lincoln raised an eyebrow, but obeyed as his mate left the room, the vials still clutched in his hand. Draco made his way back into the room hovering a large square present in front of him. Lincoln could feel his eyes widening in surprise as he watched Draco’s progress through the room, sure his confusion was written plainly on his face.

“Is that _mine_?”

“Who else would it be for?” There was laughter in Draco’s voice as he placed the box carefully down on the floor. “Come and open it.”

Anticipation caused Lincoln’s heart rate to soar again as he moved to kneel down beside the box. Running his fingers over the join of the paper instead of ripping it open straightaway caused Draco to huff out a breath. Lincoln grinned, considering spending the next few minutes simply admiring the wrapping skills of his mate. It was the glint of impatience in Draco’s eyes that caused him to move faster. Tearing the paper off the top of the box, Lincoln’s breath caught at what he found there. Sitting on top of a brand new record player were four vinyl albums. He made to sift through them so he could open the player, but the title of the top album caught his eye. Pink Floyd’s _The Wall_. His eyes flicked up to catch Draco staring at him intently as he carefully moved the record to the side so he could see the next one. Bob Dylan’s _The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan_. His heart skipped a beat as he shifted that one aside as well. David Bowie’s _Diamond Dogs_ was next. Having to hold back an excited whimper, he moved onto the last one. Led Zeppelin’s _Led Zeppelin_. Four of the rarest vinyl albums it was possible to get and he had received them all in one day from his _pure-blood_ mate.

“Link?” Draco’s voice was soft and uncertain. “I wasn’t sure if I could trust the muggle who sold me those – ah!”

The squawk Draco let out as Lincoln pounced on him had Lincoln laughing as he peppered Draco’s face and neck with frantic kisses. “I love you... I can’t describe it... but I love you, Dray.”

The responding laughter he got sent warmth shooting through his stomach. Slowing down, he focussed on Draco’s eyes, shining with a combination of relief, love and happiness.

“Should we...?” Draco fiddled the vials he was still holding, clinking them together.

“Save them,” Lincoln responded, a little breathlessly. “They’re something that requires patience and I want you _now_.”

For the next hour, he proceeded to match his actions to his words.

*~*

Breathing heavily, Harry smiled as he felt Sev lay back against the lounge behind him. He was drenched in sweat and spunk and was so incredibly satisfied that he thought he could very cheerfully just lie there for the rest of the day. However, he knew that that was not an option, not only because it was Christmas day and they were expected at the Weasley’s in a few hours, but also because he had yet to give his mate his Christmas present. It was the knowledge of the present waiting under the tree that kept Harry from falling into the sleep his body usually told him he needed after orgasm.

It had been unexpectedly difficult to keep the surprise from Sev, especially considering he had had to involve Hermione in part of it. The charms she had taught Harry were complex and it had taken a few weeks for him to learn them, as that subject had never really been a true strongpoint of his. The difficulty they faced had been keeping Sev from becoming suspicious of all the time Hermione was suddenly spending at their house during her free hours and after class. Of course, she and any number of the others had always been welcome to drop by anytime they had a spare hour or two during the day, but this had taken much longer than Harry had hoped it would. He thought that they had gotten away with it by claiming that Hermione was using their library to study away from the noise of the dormitory. Or at least, that was what he hoped. Steeling himself for what he was about to do, Harry sat up and cast a cleansing charm over the both of them.

Waving his wand with a mumbled _Accio_ , the present flew into his hand. He had not bothered to wrap the jewellery box, as he would only have to unwrap it himself. There was no way he was going to just hand the box over to Sev and allow him to unwrap it while Harry sat there silently; that was simply not the way proposals went in Harry’s mind.

“Harry? Is something wrong?” Sev’s voice was still rough with the lust Harry could feel dying down with each passing second through the bond.

“No, no, I’m fine. More than fine, actually. I just, er, don’t really know how to do this.”

Now that the time had come, Harry found himself gripped by nerves strong enough to make him slightly nauseous and they were only getting worse. What if Sev said no? What if his mate did not want to make this kind of commitment? He turned on the lounge and met Sev’s eyes with a huge sigh that was supposed to calm him down a little.

“So I may as well just do it. Sev, I know that you know that I love you more than anything else in the world; that I would do anything for you. So I was hoping you would do something for me. Will you marry me?” Flipping the lid of the box open, Harry held his breath.

Sev merely sat there, staring down at the simple white gold band. Judging by the strange look on his face, he was waging some kind of internal battle with himself and Harry desperately wished that he could at least read his mate’s surface thoughts. A brief frown crossed Sev’s face, causing Harry’s stomach to flip, before he broke into an enormous smile.

“Of course I will, Harry.”

Harry blinked. “Huh?”

If possible, it seemed as though Sev’s smile widened. “Yes, I will marry you.”

The soft kiss that followed broke Harry out of the trance he was apparently in, replacing the slight numbness with delirious joy. “Oh... Oh! You will?”

“Of course, you dolt. Unless you have changed your mind?” It seemed to Harry that the happiness he was feeling was being echoed down the bond.

“No! No. You’re not getting away that easily. Hold out your hand.”

Harry grinned as Sev obeyed the request silently. The charms Hermione had taught him would come into effect straight away, allowing Sev to feel Harry’s magical signature as long as he wore the ring. He sat and watched him carefully, waiting for the reaction he knew was coming. Sev shivered slightly after a few seconds, letting Harry know that the charms had taken. He smiled wide when Sev glanced back up at him.

“Hermione showed me how to key my magical signature into the band. She’s been researching Veela over the past few months on her own and thinks that having something that feels like me will help calm your Veela when you go to Newcastle in the New Year. She thinks it’ll make it a little easier.”

He knew Hermione was right about the charms, because he had also asked Madame Pomfrey. She had explained that for anyone with a creature Inheritance, being away from their mate for the first time is a fairly traumatic experience. He bit back a chuckle as the rest of what Madame Pomfrey had said that day ran through his mind. She seemed to be under the impression that Sev was too stubborn for his own good – that he always had been – and that if he had only asked for help in the first place, a lot of the bad things he had been through would not have happened. Harry had quietly agreed with her, but had just smiled and thanked her for her help. There was no way he would ever risk anything like that getting back to his mate, as he knew it would only cause issues sometime down the line. Shaking himself out of his thoughts as Sev repositioned himself back against the lounge and held his arms open, Harry had the feeling that everything would be fine from now on, Sev’s stubbornness notwithstanding.

*~*

Draco Apparated into the hall of Link’s flat in London after spending almost the entire day with his Mother, Aunt and Cousin Teddy. Relief spread through him when he realised that the shrill shrieks of the baby had not followed him; Teddy really had a set of lungs on him. The amused noise that greeted him was much higher-pitched than Link’s deep chuckle and his eyes flew open, slight panic rushing through him. Gwen greeted him with a wide smile.

“Unused to spending a full day with a baby?”

The knowledge that she was laughing at his expense would normally have set Draco on edge, but he was too tired and anxious to see his mate, so he simply raised an eyebrow at her. “Merry Christmas to you, too.” The words sounded grumpy even to his ears and he cleared his throat before continuing, in an attempt to salvage a bit of good humour. “Where’s Link?”

When he did not receive an immediate response, he glanced up to see that Gwen’s smile had morphed into one of fondness. “He’s back at the clan with the rest of the family. The kids have monopolised him a bit, so he sent me here to bring you to him.” She held out her hand. “Come on.”

There was something in the back of Draco’s mind that latched onto her use of the words ‘the rest of the family’, rejoicing that she considered him part of her family. Knowing how much Link’s family meant to him, Draco had known that he had to make a good impression on them and this seemed to indicate that he had. He bit back a sigh as he clasped her hand. Tired as he was, he really did not like the idea of Apparating anywhere, but if it brought him to Link, then he would put up with it. They landed in Link’s parent’s house a few seconds later and Draco opened his eyes, scanning the room for Link. A slight huff of amusement beside him had him focussing on Gwen again with a frown. Her violet eyes shone with something Draco was unable to decipher as she smiled at him.

“You have no idea how grateful we all are that he found you, you know. Who knows what kind of damage Adrian could have done otherwise,” she murmured, shocking Draco into absolute silence. “So, I guess I want to thank you.”

He blinked a couple of times, wondering exactly how to respond to something so unexpected. The sincerity that shone from her eyes was undeniable, so he knew she was serious, but the fact that this was coming from _Gwen_ was what had stunned him so much. He smiled, allowing some of the embarrassment that was keeping him silent to show through. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, she broke the moment, almost muffled when a shriek sounded from outside.

“Your idiot mate is outside, playing in the snow with the older children.”

After a last glance at the rapidly fleeing look of appreciation in her eyes, Draco moved out onto the balcony. Leaning over, he spotted Link below him, safely sheltered behind a wall of snow as the four children threw snowballs towards him. Draco watched as Link waited until the barrage ended before sending enchanted snowballs over the wall. He had not even had to stand to send the projectiles towards his niece and nephews: with the spell set on the snow, all he had to do was launch them. They obviously had some kind of heat-seeking charm set on them; the kids stood absolutely no chance whatsoever. An idea occurred to Draco as he watched the kids trying to hit his mate with un-enchanted snowballs again.

“Gwen?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think you can distract Link long enough for me to get to the kids’ side?”

“Of course.”

The humour had returned to her voice, telling Draco that she probably knew what he was up to. She showed him how to get down to the playing field without being seen, then slipped off to provide him cover enough to get to the wall of snow protecting the children. There was no responding volley after the latest of the children’s, so Draco made a dash across the snow, waving his wand behind him to cover his tracks. Sliding on his knees as he made cover, he cast waterproofing charms on his clothing, not wanting to end up drenched, as he knew Link’s snowballs would hit him as well. He greeted Gwen’s boys, who ran up and flung themselves into his arms, before requesting to see their stash. Placing the charms on the snowballs as quickly as he could, Draco could not prevent the huge smile that crossed his face as he thought of the shock Link was about to get.

“Alright, here you go,” he whispered when he was done, unsure if his voice would carry to Link. “Throw these and see if they hit him now.” He grinned when they began throwing them haphazardly, but they all sailed unerringly over the wall opposite.

“What the f–”

“Language, Lincoln!”

The exclamation from Link when the first of the snowballs sailed over the wall and hit him had Draco on the verge of laughter. Link’s mother’s response to him almost swearing in front of the kids was too much for him to handle and he snorted in amusement in an attempt to not make a noise. Draco glanced up to see that the rest of Link’s family had gathered on the balcony to see the result of Draco’s meddling. When the kids ran out of ammunition, Draco braced himself, waiting for the onslaught of snow. He knew, because he was much larger than the children, that he would make a better target for the charmed snowballs. Creeping towards the edge of the wall when the barrage began, Draco found himself grabbed and dragged into a bear hug.

“You sneaky little shit,” Link grumbled in his ear as he moved him backwards until his back hit a tree. “I was nice and dry until you showed up.”

Draco frowned, running his hands up the inside of Link’s thick coat to discover he was drenched through. “Why didn’t you use a waterproofing charm, you bloody twit?”

Waving his wand again, Draco cast drying and warming charms over his mate, then began rubbing his hands up and down Link’s arms. The responding hum of appreciation Link gave as he leant forward to rest their foreheads together had Draco smiling again. It never ceased to amaze him how easy it was for Link to improve his mood simply by existing.

“It wasn’t necessary until you showed up,” Link groused, pressing closer in an obvious attempt to warm up a bit.

“I love you,” Draco responded in a small voice, still trying to hold back his laughter.

“You’d better.”

Before Draco could respond, Link had pressed their lips together, sliding his tongue into Draco’s mouth. Draco hummed in pleasure, moving his hands so they ran up and down the bare skin of Link’s back beneath the layers of clothing in an attempt to keep him warm. The kiss did not last long, as they were interrupted by a loud shriek, one that brought back the memories of Draco’s day spent with Teddy and he flinched in response.

“Mum! They’re kissing again! Make them stop!”

Link’s laugh rumbled through Draco’s chest as they broke apart, but it was interrupted by a shiver that ran through his entire body. Running his eyes over his mate’s face, Draco came to a swift decision.

“Come on; let’s get you inside and warmed up properly.”

The grin that crossed Link’s face at this statement had Draco frowning again. He was about to ask what was so funny when he was Apparated again, this time into the curved living room of the house. Link caught him as he staggered, his eyes flicking over to where his family stood on the balcony.

“Lincoln, how many times do you have to be told? Do not –”

“Sorry, mum,” Link called, laughter clear in his voice as he dragged Draco towards the bedroom they had Apparated into a few months previously. “Won’t happen again!”

“What are you...” Draco stopped when Link closed, warded and Silenced the door behind them, then pressed him up against it and buried his face into the crook of his neck. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Link mumbled against Draco’s skin. When he received no reply, he continued. “I missed you.”

Realising that Link apparently needed the contact, Draco slipped his hands up the back of his mate’s shirt again. He had no idea exactly what it was that had set Link’s Elven side off, but if he could help to relieve any kind of pressure it was putting on him, then he would. Putting a little pressure on Link’s back, he drew him closer, enjoying the huffs of hot breath against his neck. Draco relaxed bit by bit as they stood there, simply enjoying the feeling of being together, so much so that he ended up blinking rapidly in an attempt to stay awake.

“Link?” Draco paused, a huge yawn almost cracking his face in two. “Sorry, I’m –”

“Absolutely stunning,” Link interrupted before drawing Draco into a soft kiss. “And coming straight to bed.”

“What? But I –”

“You’ve spent the past seven months looking after me when I was too stupid or too stubborn to look after myself, so let me return the favour. You’re obviously exhausted, so a nap sounds like a very good idea right now.” He pulled Draco forward a little so he could start stripping his clothing off and manoeuvring him towards the bed. “Healer’s orders,” he added when Draco opened his mouth to object again.

Another yawn cut Draco’s words off again and earned him a smirk from his mate. “Hmm, I’d hate to disappoint my Healer,” he murmured, taking note of the glint that came into Link’s eyes at the words. “Are you allowed to sleep with a patient?”

A quiet chuckle was the only response he got as he lay down on his side of the bed, waiting for Link to strip off and join him. The rapidly revealed skin drew Draco’s attention completely and he smiled in appreciation when Link met his eyes. The look Link shot him told him he was not going to be indulging any of Draco’s fantasies just yet. It changed Draco’s smile into a grin and earned him a roll of Link’s eyes as he slid into the bed. Draco sighed happily as he found himself lifted in Link’s arms and deposited on his chest.

“I love you, Elfling.”

“Love you, too, Dray,” was the last thing Draco heard before sleep claimed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vinculum is Latin for bond and I may have played a little fast with the records. There are copies of each of those that are worth a mint, but they are very specific ones :)
> 
> This might be the last post until after the new year, so if it is, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas/happy holidays/whatever you celebrate and a happy and safe new year :D


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! This is a day late, but I got there around the holidays. I hope everyone's Christmas/holidays were good and that all your wishes in the New Year come true :D

Smiling as he snuggled further down into his warm coat, Lincoln could not help wondering exactly what good he had done in a past life to deserve this. Sitting out on the balcony of Draco’s private suite of rooms at Malfoy Manor, they had all the privacy they could want, as well as a near-perfect view of the New Years Eve fireworks, which were due to start in a few minutes. He was getting to start the New Year with his mate and it was difficult to imagine a way the night could be any more perfect. That is, if only Draco was actually there with him. A shuffling footstep behind him solved that issue, and he sucked in a surprised breath when one of Draco’s arms wound around his shoulders, holding him in place as Draco leant over to nibble on his ear.

“Dray...” Lincoln struggled half-heartedly against the hold Draco had on him as shocks of pleasure shot through him, receiving a quiet laugh in response.

“You’re so cute,” came the amused-sounding response a few seconds later when Draco’s mouth left his ear.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Lincoln grumbled as he pulled Draco into his lap and into a kiss.

“I know,” Draco replied with a small smile and Lincoln hummed happily in response as a warm feeling pooled in his stomach. “I have an idea for after the fireworks.”

Lincoln’s heart rate sped up as he opened his eyes to see one of the small bottles of Vinculum resting on Draco’s palm. The world seemed to have been conspiring against them the past few days, keeping Lincoln at work for longer hours than he had worked in a long time, so they had not had the chance to experiment with the potion yet. It seemed to be the ideal opportunity that night, however; what better way to start the New Year than by sharing something so intimate with his mate? Carefully enclosing the bottle between their hands, Lincoln drew Draco into another soft kiss.

“You are beautiful,” he murmured as he ran the thumb of his free hand over Draco’s cheekbone.

Any response Draco was going to make was cut short by the first explosion of colour as the fireworks began. He immediately turned on Lincoln’s lap, settling his back against Lincoln’s chest so he had the same view of the fireworks. Unfortunately for Lincoln, the knowledge of what was coming had him completely distracted. Draco would also not stop wriggling in his lap, causing a pleasant distraction of a completely different sort. He gave up on pretending to watch the fireworks when Draco leant back, his head falling back against Lincoln’s shoulder. The move exposed the length of Draco’s throat and Lincoln found he could not resist tasting that pale skin. Running his teeth lightly along the column of Draco’s throat earned him a groan, more felt than heard over the explosions of the fireworks. It seemed that this was the end of Draco’s pretence as well, as he scooted up off the chair Lincoln was sitting on and waved his wand toward the small daybed nestled against the balustrade between two potted plants, widening and lengthening it so they could lie down comfortably. A few additional swipes of his wand added privacy charms and a wave of warmth that told Lincoln they would not freeze in the cold January weather. Lincoln stood, his eyes glued to Draco’s face as he watched him swallow down half of the potion, then hand the rest over. The potion tasted vaguely of limes, which struck him as odd, but he ignored it in favour of watching his mate strip off his robes. Copying Draco, Lincoln made it down to his boots and jeans before he felt a strange tingle in the back of his mind.

“Come here,” Draco demanded, an odd tone to his voice.

Lincoln silently obeyed, stepping close enough to draw him into a soft kiss. He focussed on the tingle in the back of his mind, trying to force it to do something, but it seemed it would not be hurried. He was just beginning to wonder if maybe he had been cheated when the connection opened, as full and strong as if they had managed to seal the bond three months ago. Breaking the kiss with a gasp, Lincoln could not help taking a step backwards as he was hit with a wall of love, desire and surprise so strong it was almost blinding. Gasping for air, he glanced up at Draco, who looked just as stunned as Lincoln felt. _Love_. Draco truly _loved_ him in such a pure, unadulterated way that it brought a lump to Lincoln’s throat, leaving it feeling harsh and raw. Watching Draco closely had become somewhat of a habit for Lincoln, but now... Each tiny change of emotion that he had learned to recognise on his mate’s face was amplified down the temporary bond, hitting Lincoln with a force he had not expected.

“Draco?” The word was low and harsh and Lincoln could hear the hitch in his voice even in such a small word.

Draco’s response was immediate. Throwing himself forward with a small noise, he wrapped his arms around Lincoln’s shoulders, pulling him as close as he could get. Assaulted with wave after wave of his mate’s emotions, Lincoln found himself only able to wrap Draco in his arms, holding him as he trembled. He had known that Draco loved him, but this was so much more than he had ever anticipated and it was threatening to overwhelm him.

“I love you.”

Lincoln smiled wide as the sentiment was echoed down the bond. “I know, Dray.” It took a few seconds for Lincoln to realise that the tremble he could feel rippling through his mate’s body was actually laughter. “I love you, too.”

He felt Draco take a shuddering breath before he pulled back far enough so their eyes met. Brushing his thumb across Lincoln’s lips, Draco’s smile widened when Lincoln flicked his tongue out to taste his skin. Lincoln watched Draco carefully as his fingers continued on their exploration, moving slowly along his cheekbone and up to his temple. The realisation of what Draco was about to do hit him a few seconds before his mate’s fingers brushed incredibly lightly over the shell of his ear. His eyes slid closed and he bit down on his bottom lip as pleasure crashed through him and the change came over him.

“ _Fuck_ , how...” Draco paused to take a deep breath, leaning forward until their foreheads touched. “I really hope you’re not expecting this to last very long.”

Laughing as he moved them both back towards the bed, Lincoln grabbed both wands from their holsters and Vanished the remaining clothing separating him from his mate. The responding rush of desire and anticipation down the bond only increased his laughter as he pressed forward, moulding his body to Draco’s. Ducking his head, he began to suck on the pulse point in the side of Draco’s throat, knowing that this was one of Draco’s many hotspots. Draco’s fingers clenched on Lincoln’s shoulders, digging in painfully hard, but Lincoln found he could not care. The very fact that this was Draco who was with him sharing this experience was worth any amount of bruised skin from nails Lincoln could imagine.

“Dray... Dray... Dray,” he murmured as he trailed his lips up Draco’s throat, smiling as he saw the dark bruise forming on Draco’s pale skin. Raising his head as the last of the fireworks went off gave him a glimpse of his mate’s wide-blown pupils, the fireworks reflected back to him in Draco’s soft grey eyes. “You have no idea how incredibly beautiful you are to me, do you?”

Draco’s eyes focussed on him properly, pinning him with a look he had never seen from him before. “I do now and...” his eyes dragged down Lincoln’s body, the lust and expectation coming down the bond increasing by the second. “Now you know the same.”

Fighting against the ridiculous urge to hide from that gaze as he felt just how much Draco wanted him, Lincoln forced himself to move forward instead, pushing Draco until he sat down on the bed behind him. He kept moving, not allowing Draco any chance to stop him until he was hovering over him, braced on his elbows. Draco’s hands moved up so he was gripping onto Lincoln’s shoulders again in an attempt to pull him down, but Lincoln resisted. He was going to take this at his pace, whether Draco liked it or not.

“Patience, cariad,” he murmured as Draco almost whined when he refused to give him the friction he wanted. “We’ve got two full hours to play with after all.” He smiled as Draco’s eyes widened.

“I’m not waiting two bloody hours for you to–”

Lincoln shut him up the easiest way he could think of: by dipping his tongue into Draco’s open mouth. The resulting jolt of desire had him humming in pleasure, resisting the urge to follow through on Draco’s demands and just take him right then. Instead, he broke the kiss and trailed his lips down the length of Draco’s throat again, enjoying the small noises he was dragging out of him. Sucking on the pulse pounding in Draco’s throat always got him a brilliant reaction from his mate and being able to feel that reaction as well as hear it was one of the most thrilling things Lincoln had ever experienced. The tension built in his stomach as wave after wave of pleasure crashed down the bond, sending his mind swimming and his body tingling with a responding reaction. Stretching his hand out to grasp his wand from where he had dropped it on the floor, Lincoln pulled back from Draco’s skin long enough to Summon the lube from the bedroom. An eager jolt down the bond caused him to chuckle as he returned his lips to Draco’s throat.

“Mae'n brydferth, Dray. Rwy'n dy garu di...” Lincoln paused, realising that he had automatically slipped back into Welsh again. It did not seem to faze Draco, however, as he merely drew Lincoln into a deep kiss.

“Love you too, Elfling,” he gasped a few seconds later when Lincoln began preparing him, sliding a finger up inside him slowly.

The thought occurred to him that he had apparently done that often enough that Draco had learnt to translate at least some of the words and it sent a pleasurable shiver through him. Draco responded by locking his ankles behind Lincoln’s back and grinning wide before pulling him back down into another kiss. Lincoln knew that they would need to move faster, judging by the intensity of both the emotions he was feeling as well as what he was getting from Draco. Moving a little faster caused Draco’s movements beneath him to speed up and become more frantic. His breath came in sharp gasps, his fingers clenched on Lincoln’s shoulders in what basically amounted to a death grip and Lincoln could feel the force of his heart beating against his chest when he gave in and lay down on top of him. By the time he had his mate prepared for him, Lincoln was struggling to hold onto his rapidly slipping control.

“Dray, I – I’m not... I can’t...” He gave up on trying to express his difficulty when Draco’s legs tightened around him.

“I’m not expecting a marathon, Link. I just want you with me. Right now.”

The roughness and urgency in Draco’s voice pushed Lincoln onwards; drove him into entering him right then. The sensation of feeling the pleasure Draco got from this had Lincoln practically whining with need as he settled himself fully inside his mate. The overwhelming rush of pleasure had him biting down on his bottom lip in an attempt to distract himself long enough to last through it without bringing everything to a disappointing end so soon.

“I swear to God, Link, if you don’t move soon, I’ll finish myself right now.”

The low growl in Draco’s voice dragged Lincoln back to reality a little, giving him a few seconds reprieve from the onslaught of emotion down the bond. Pulling back obediently, he thrust in quickly, his eyes squeezing shut against the torrent of pleasure. They fell into a practiced rhythm rapidly, with Lincoln working a hand between them to grasp hold of Draco’s leaking cock. The sharp jolt he received from Draco caused an involuntary groan to escape him and he increased his tempo automatically, seeking out that one sweet spot that would allow him release. He could not focus on anything beyond Draco beneath him, but he knew that it could not have been any more than two minutes before he felt the tensing of Draco’s muscles that told him he was about to come. Angling his hips at just the right moment caused him to hit Draco’s prostate and the resulting burst of pleasure was so overwhelming that he actually stopped moving completely.

“Dray...”

“No, it’s good... Don’t stop... Not now... Please, Link...” Breathing heavily, Lincoln allowed himself to be dragged up by his hair to meet Draco’s eyes. “ _Please_.”

All Lincoln found himself capable of doing at that point was obeying what his mate demanded. Bending his head down to nip at the mark he had left on Draco just a few weeks before, he aimed directly for Draco’s prostate, thrusting in rapidly. The extra stimulation seemed to be more than enough for Draco, because his muscles clenched tightly around Lincoln and he shouted out his release in just a few seconds. Following his mate into orgasm, Lincoln only just barely managed to resist the urge to bite down again, his Elven side trying desperately to make certain Draco knew he had been claimed, figuratively if not actually.

“Dray... Cariad,” he gasped as soon as he was able.

“Mate,” Draco responded, his voice just above a whisper. “I’m yours, Link.”

The sincerity that flowed down to him through the bond confirmed the words, despite Lincoln not needing it. “And I’m yours, Dray; never forget it.”

*~*

Lying with Link on top of him still breathing heavily, Draco knew that he did not have long before the potion wore off. It must have been close to two hours since they had taken the doses and, although he did not know why, he had to do this while he could still sense Link’s reaction. And, if he was going to do this while the potion was still active, then it had to be now. Not wanting to move Link from on top of him, Draco instead reached down beside them and grasped hold of one of the wands and waved it, hoping that it was his so he would not have to move. It took a few seconds, but he felt the tiny box slap into his hand and he smiled in response.

“What’re you doing with my wand?”

“ _Your_ wand?”

Draco raised the hand that held both the box and the wand, his eyes widening as he saw Link’s vine wand clenched between his fingers. He had used other people’s wands before and they had all felt strange, but this one was different. He had not felt a difference in the levels of magic or the amount of control he had exerted over the wand: it felt the exact same as when he used his own.

“I couldn’t tell the difference,” Draco murmured, surprise running through him. When he felt Link’s responding rush of mingled surprise and joy, Draco found he could respond in no other way than to laugh. “What’s so funny?”

Instead of responding verbally, Link raised his head from where he had been softly nibbling at the scarred bite mark he had made on Draco’s shoulder for what Draco estimated was the past half hour. He trailed a row of kisses along Draco’s jaw before claiming his lips. With the added sensations flowing down the bond, even a simple kiss caused Draco’s head to swim dizzyingly and he had to wonder how it was possible that people with permanent, full bonds lasted without going absolutely insane. The shocks of pleasure he was used to feeling were being echoed by Link, doubling everything he normally felt.

“You, me; this,” Link gasped a few seconds later. “The reason you can use my wand so easily...”

“Is because you’re my mate,” Draco finished for him.

“My perfect match.”

Staring up into Link’s glowing deep blue eyes, Draco smiled; a ridiculously huge smile that felt as though it was going to break his face in two. Wrapping his arms around his mate’s shoulders, he heard the wand clatter to the floor, forgotten in the passion he felt resonating down the bond towards him. He drew Link into another kiss, enjoying the knowledge of what he could cause Link to feel with even such a simple gesture. Drifting in the bliss of having his mate in his arms, Draco nearly forgot about the box in his hand until Link began to squirm.

“What is that?”

“This...” Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly, surprised at the level of nerves that had suddenly settled in his stomach. He knew that this was just a formality; something for him rather than for Link, but he found it impossible to settle them. “This is a promise I made a few months back. I know you said it was unnecessary, but I wanted to do it properly.”

A brief moment of complete confusion from Link was replaced firstly by shock, then a rush of both anticipation and desire. The rapid succession of emotions as Link obviously realised what Draco was about to do caused Draco’s head to spin momentarily, but he blinked it away, needing to have a properly clear mind. It was the anticipation he got from Link that Draco focussed on as he sat up, forcing Link to do the same. Despite his protests that he did not need a proper proposal, it was nice to know that Link was excited by the idea.

“Dray,” Link began, but Draco interrupted him.

“I know I don’t have to. I know you consider _that_ your real engagement ring, but I want to. This is something that should be memorable for the right reasons, not because it was the day I finally came to my senses and stopped acting like the world’s biggest imbecile.”

“In that case, ‘imbecile’ probably isn’t the mood you should be aiming for.”

The fact that Draco could finally feel the humour that lit up Link’s eyes – the same amused expression that had caused Draco to fall for him so very hard – only enhanced the moment. Smiling as he pushed Link back into a sitting position on the bed, Draco moved to straddle him.

“You are the most amazing, wonderful, frustrating, stubborn and intelligent man I know.” The humour had left Link’s eyes the second Draco began to speak, to be replaced with an adoration he felt down the bond as well. “Over the past six months you have shown me that it is possible to fall in love with someone over and over again each time you see them and that that love only increases each day. I–” He paused when he heard the hitch in his voice.

“Dray...”

Shaking his head, Draco held up the hand that did not hold the box. “You make me a better man, Link. If I hadn’t met you, then who knows where I would have ended up? You saved me from having to live basically what would have amounted to a life of exile and have brought happiness and light into every aspect of my life. I can’t express how much that means to me in any other way than by requesting to be allowed to spend the rest of my life trying to work out a way. Lincoln Alexander Northam, will you marry me?”

Allowing himself to return his focus to what he was feeling rather than what he was saying, Draco blinked a few times. The mix of emotions running down the bond combined with what he was feeling himself was so confusing, he wondered if maybe something had gone wrong with the potion and it was doubling each of the individual emotions. It was not until he met Link’s eyes that everything cleared up. Glowing the most intense shade of blue Draco had ever seen, they held all the love he could now feel pounding down the bond. One of Link’s hands gripped tightly to Draco’s hip, while the other came up to brush his knuckles across Draco’s cheekbone.

“Yes, of course I will.”

There was a definite roughness to Link’s voice, as well as a hitch to the deep breath he took a few seconds later. Draco leaned in close, savouring the tension in the scant seconds before their lips met in a kiss that he found himself shocked by. Judging by the intensity of the emotions running between them, he had expected to have his mouth assaulted, but this was soft and tender and, now that he was thinking about it, suited the mood perfectly. Moving his free hand so he could brush his thumb across Link’s cheek, it did not surprise him to find it a little wet: considering the strength of the joy that was spilling down the bond, it was a wonder Link was restraining himself to simple kissing, so it was no surprise that it had come out another way. Slowly breaking apart after a few minutes, Draco rested his forehead against Link’s, smiling as he was still assaulted by shocks of unbelievable joy.

“I love you, cariad.”

The small huff of laughter that escaped Draco was completely involuntary, as the sentiment was echoed once again down the bond. “Give me your hand.”

Sitting up properly again as Link unclenched his left hand from his hip, Draco found he did not want to stop the huge grin that he offered up. Carefully sliding the first ring off Link’s ring finger, he moved it so it readjusted itself for the ring finger on his right hand, where it was originally meant to go. He then opened the box and pulled out a simple-looking silver coloured band; one that suited Link’s subtle taste, but that had cost Draco a small fortune, as he had had it made to his exacting specifications out of platinum. It was imbued with a strong charm that combined both a shield to protect the wearer from a small amount of physical harm, as well as a mild Healing charm that would kick in the second the wearer became injured in any way. Link was as safe as Draco could make him for the time being. They both merely sat there for a few seconds, staring down at the ring on Link’s finger. It was Link who broke the silence first.

“Happy New Year, Dray.”

Meeting his mate’s glowing eyes, Draco leant in close before replying. “Happy New Year, Elfling.” He brushed their lips together, wriggling his hips a little to test how ready Link was for a second round. “Are you up for making tonight even more memorable?”

The swift rush of desire combined with the pulse of Link’s cock beneath him told Draco everything he needed to know without Link having to respond.

**Translation:** Mae'n brydferth, Dray. Rwy'n dy garu di = You're beautiful, Dray. I love you.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The middle part of this chapter is from a new perspective, because I didn't want to copy and paste from the original fic :)

Harry found himself unable to prevent a nervous smile from crossing his face as Sev laced their fingers together. It was New Year’s Day, just before tea time and Harry was about to be separated from his mate for the first time since they bonded. They had both known that this day was coming and, despite not wanting Sev to leave him for even the shortest amount of time, Harry found he was actually rather excited by the idea of having a blessing from Catherine for their bond. He knew it was unnecessary, because it would not join them together any further than they already were, but the idea of finally belonging somewhere was incredibly tempting. The combination of nerves and excitement had been making his head spin for the past little while and he found he was having trouble differentiating between the fluttering of his insides caused by the two emotions.

Making their way silently to the room Harry had taken in the Leaky Cauldron for the night – they had met with the Weasleys and Andromeda and Teddy for New Years – Harry found himself incredibly grateful that Sev had managed to find it in himself to forgive him for nearly destroying their bond by lying to him all those months ago. If he had not, then Harry knew that they would never have made it to this point in their relationship and he would still have been hurting, knowing that it was all his own fault. He shook his head in an attempt to clear the thoughts when they reached the door to his room. There was absolutely no point in making this any more difficult for either of them and he knew that Sev would sense if he was making himself miserable.

The room itself was the kind of dingy room that Harry had never really minded being in when he was younger – as anything looked better than a cupboard – but that he had since learnt were considered quite bad by most people’s standards. Not that he minded what other people thought; he was only going to be spending the one night there, anyway. Ron and Hermione were to be coming back to the house in Hogsmeade with him tomorrow, because Sev wanted him watched. Harry figured it was both so that he would not just lock himself away and not eat, as well as in case the baby decided to arrive early. _Only a month to go, little one!_ He rubbed a hand absentmindedly across his belly, noticing that Sev smiled at him as he did.

Sev stopped in front of the fireplace in the room and pulled Harry into a tight embrace. The waves of reassurance that were flowing down the bond were a very welcome distraction from his own worry about being separated from his mate and Harry relaxed into Sev’s arms, earning himself a quiet, contented sound. He was more than happy to just stand there with his mate for the next few minutes, enjoying the warmth Sev was offering. Despite not wanting to, it was Harry who broke the silence.

“I know some of them are pretty, Sev, but please don’t forget about me.”

Harry raised his head to nibble softly on his mate’s bottom lip, unable to hold the rush of sorrow he felt over Sev’s imminent departure back. He had been totally serious when he had asked Sev not to go to the Newcastle clan after what Adrian had attempted to do, but Sev had talked him down with reasoning that hit home harder than anything else would have. The fact of the matter was that Harry had always craved a family of his own, and that was exactly what belonging to this clan was going to provide for him. Sev and Baby and any other children that might come along in the future would always be his first priority, but the extended family that he had started with the Weasleys and Hermione would be enhanced with the addition of Catherine, Lucy and anyone else they met through the clan.

“Never,” Sev responded before leaning down to claim Harry’s lips in a soft kiss. His hair fell down around them, enclosing them in a shelter of black, making it seem like they were the only two in the world for those few short seconds. “I love you, Harry.”

“Love you, too.”

Harry almost flinched at the sound of the hitch in his voice as he farewelled his mate. He knew he was not being fair to Sev, but there really was nothing he could do to prevent a feeling like this. He allowed Sev to step away from him to grab a handful of floo powder and forced a small smile onto his face. He knew that Sev would be back in a few days and that there was nothing that could harm him at the clan – Adrian had been locked up securely after his trial – so there really was no reason for him to be worrying about any of this. He wrapped his arms around his belly and stood watching as the floo took his mate away from him for the first time ever.

The feeling of loss that immediately hit him was not unexpected and he moved back so he could sit on the edge of the bed, turning his focus completely inwards. Both he and Sev had been prepared for this to happen and the only way Harry knew to reassure his Elven side that his mate was alright was to focus on the feelings coming down the bond.

Sev felt as miserable as Harry did, which was no surprise to him. He had never once truly doubted the connection he had with Sev and the knowledge that Sev was upset over being away from him only confirmed that he had been right to not question it. Harry could have sworn that he could sense Sev’s Veela even from this distance. He concentrated on trying to push some of his negative feelings to the back of his mind in order to help Sev control his Veela, which he knew would be the hardest part of calming down. Keeping one of his arms still resting on the swell of his belly, he unconsciously twisted the ring on his right pointer finger; the one Sev had given him for his birthday. He knew now that Hermione had been right about the feeling of having your mate’s magical signature wash over you: it almost felt as though Sev was there with him if he concentrated hard enough and that was just enough to begin to calm his panicking Elf down. He managed a small smile when he felt Sev relaxing a little at the same time; he must have been as focussed on Harry as Harry had been on him. He waited until he knew that Sev was as calm as he was going to get before standing and moving slowly back out to the bar, where he would meet Ron and Hermione, as they had agreed he would. He knew it would only make it worse if he just isolated himself and if Ron and Hermione were able to help distract him in any way, then there was no way Harry was turning that help down.

*~*

Lucy Wainwright was not one to succumb to fear easily. She was a fully qualified Healer, the daughter of the Head of the clan and the mate – and wife – of one of the Guards of the clan prison. All of that combined to amount to her not being able to be afraid of many people easily. None of this experience helped her when it came to Severus Snape, however. The man was absolutely terrifying, despite the fact that he had not done anything in her presence that would prompt those feelings. Sure, he had hexed Adrian, but Adrian had deserved it for trying to steal him away from his mate. She had absolutely no idea why she felt like he should be feared, but there it was. He scared her like no other person had ever done.

Unfortunately, that fear came out in strange ways with her, as she was so unused to feeling something like that. It turned her giggly, loud and more outgoing than she usually was around people she did not know and made her wonder if maybe she was scaring him off. A man like Severus seemed like he would much prefer the company of people who did not act like the class dunce and if she was going to make friends with him, then she knew that she had to tone it down a bit. Being the daughter of the Head of the clan meant that she should be making friends with many people in the clan and Severus, being the mate of their latest addition, was included in that. Of course, knowing that she should not be afraid of someone and _actually_ not being afraid of them were two completely different things. She almost jumped out of her skin when the floo flared in the next room. Knowing that he would need a few minutes, due to this being his first time away from Harry, she simply sat at the booth she had claimed in the small, hidden pub and waited for Severus to appear.

“Severus, hi! So good to see you again! How have you been? And Harry, too?” She could see Severus trying not to flinch as she stood to greet him and really had to agree with him. Trying not to frown, she concentrated on toning everything down a bit and calming her Elf. The sudden shock of reassurance she felt down the bond she shared with her mate actually helped a little and she managed a smile that did not make her look like a lunatic.

“Lucinda,” he greeted her with a solemnity that almost had her grinning. It was difficult to imagine someone like Harry being this man’s perfect match, but she had seen stranger things. “We are both... as well as can be expected. And yourself?”

“Oh! This is your first time away from each other, isn’t it?” She, of course, knew that it was, but there had to be a way of getting him to speak to her so that she did not have to keep the conversation going by herself. “Hurts like a mother, right? First time I was away from _my_ mate I thought I was having a bloody heart attack! Oh, and you should probably call me Lucy: the only one who calls me Lucinda is my mother when she thinks I haven’t been in touch often enough. Anyway, there’s a room over there where you can change out of your robes, since the muggles’ll get suspicious, then we can get outta here!”

_‘Outta’, Lucy, really?_ She bit back a sigh at herself as Severus turned to enter one of the change rooms the pub kept. Ignoring the fear of the man she still harboured, she focussed instead on trying to find a topic that would get him talking. Maybe if she was able to find one then he would not appear as intimidating to her as he currently did. Severus, thankfully, did not take long to get changed and she moved over to stand by the door of the pub when she saw him exit the change room dressed almost completely in black.

There was a strange look to his usually unreadable eyes as he looked at her and she realised that he was looking at her clothing. Considering that when she was on duty – either as a Healer or the heir to the clan’s Head duties – she had to wear either the green of Healer’s robes or the formal robes ‘befitting her station’ as her mother had put it, she always tended to dress a little loudly when off-duty. Her red wool hat matched her bright red Doc Marten’s and she had teamed them with purple jeans, a brown vest and layers of different coloured shirts. She now realised that dressing like she had was probably a bad idea, considering her company, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She offered him a small smile as he met her eyes.

“Ready to go? It’s not far; just down the street and around the corner.”

“Lead the way.”

She watched as Severus turned the collar of his long black coat up, resisting the urge to smile. Despite the fact that his mere presence intimidated her, she had to admit that she saw what Harry saw in the man. She would never be able to call him good-looking at all, but certain aspects of his personality were incredibly appealing to anyone with a submissive creature Inheritance. The way he had protected Harry for all those years – no matter his original reason – proved his ability to protect his submissive against almost all odds; she had seen firsthand how attuned he was to Harry’s reactions to the world around him; even his too-truthful style of speaking would be useful to a submissive, as they would immediately know if there was something they needed to work on. Turning on her heel, she walked out of the door and onto the street that would lead up to the formal entrance of the clan. She was to bring him through the entrance used by the visiting dominants on their bonding journeys, despite this one being the most unusual one she had ever witnessed. Generally the dominants had to find their own way – Wood Elf dominants, even the half-blooded ones, tended to have a kind of instinct that showed them where to go on their bonding journeys – but Severus was no Wood Elf. Lucy had agreed to go meet him, because otherwise there was no way he could have found the clan, no matter how intelligent he was. Glancing back over her shoulder showed her that he was watching the pub disappear back into the wall of the Cumberland Arms, a muggle pub.

“That’s the Cumberland Arms. Nice food, but it’s not really my style. See that bridge up there? Byker Bridge. That’s where we’re going. The entrance to our valley is hidden from muggles in one of the bridges they built. Poetic justice, if you ask me. Don’t really say much, do you?” Lucy realised she was babbling and trailed off as Severus shot her a _look_.

“My loquaciousness depends entirely on the subject at hand.”

A sudden idea occurred to her they made their way up towards the bridge and she received another jolt of reassurance through her bond. She knew it was probably taking a chance that she should not, but there was only one subject that was likely to drag any kind of conversation out of this man: his mate.

“Tell me about Harry.” She smiled warmly when she noticed a faint blush spreading across his cheeks and knew that she had hit on the exact right topic. “Oh, that is just adorable! Eight months on and just the thought of him still makes you blush! I miss being newly-bonded. Everything was so new and exciting! Not that I would trade him for anything, but we’ve settled down a lot since our first year. So, tell me, what’s he like? Harry, I mean.”

“Harry,” Severus began after a deep breath. “Is the most impossibly stubborn person I have ever met. Once he gets an idea in that thick skull of his, attempting to change his mind is an unwise course of action. He is sarcastic and strong-willed and incredibly passionate about so many things and... I would currently be dead if not for him.”

Lucy sighed, finally able to relax a little around him now that she had found just the right topic to get him to display the human side she had known must be in there somewhere. “I can see what she meant about the strength of your bond now. You must have fallen incredibly hard for each other fairly early on with a bond like that. You know, I’ve met people who have the smallest amount of contact with their mate and leave it at that. I don’t know how they manage, but they just don’t want a permanent bond with someone else. It’d drive me nuts doing that. Anyway,” she shot him another wide grin as she stopped in front of one of the supports of Byker Bridge. “Here we are!”

Severus had the exact reaction to their apparently very public surroundings as she had known he most likely would. Glancing around at the position of the bridge, then back to the incredibly busy road behind them, he frowned, obviously confused. She waited a few seconds to see if he would ask her anything, but when he remained silent, she offered the information up herself.

“There’s a spell surrounding the entire area here,” she explained. “You know how the muggles don’t notice when people run into Platform 9 ¾ despite the fact that they should be able to? Well, this is the same thing: the second we stepped onto the grass here, the enchantment took hold. No one can see us here unless they have magical blood.”

She could not resist the smile that tugged at her lips as he stepped back a few steps to take in the size of the pillar the enchantment had been placed on. Having been raised in the clan, things like this no longer surprised her, but she had always enjoyed watching others find out about them. People’s unguarded reactions when surprised fascinated her, as it tended to reveal their true personality. Severus’s eyes widened and she thought she had seen a brief glimpse of curiosity before he clamped it down again. _Yes,_ she thought. _We’ll get along just fine after I get over this ridiculous nervousness around him._

“The sheer logistics of setting up that set of spells in such a public place must have been...” He paused, shaking his head in obvious wonder. “How did you even manage to get permission to use this site?”

“We were here before anyone else, that’s how. After the Romans left, we moved in and have had some form of clan here ever since.” The sceptical look Severus shot her had her grinning, now more comfortable around him than she ever had been before. “Don’t believe me? Just ask Catherine: she’s the local history buff. But to do that, you might wanna actually go through the barrier.” He seemed to consider the idea for a few seconds before glancing down at the hand she now held out to him with undisguised surprise. “Only people who already have the blessing of the Head, or who have Wood Elf blood can pass through, so you’ll have to hold on as we enter.” 

She had to suppress a smile as he hesitated. She knew exactly how bad it had felt the first time she had been separated from her mate and could sympathise completely with Severus at that moment. Of course, she had not gone through the same things that Severus and Harry had had to go through to get to this point, so she kept her mouth closed. There was nothing worse than people claiming to know exactly how you felt about something, especially when it had to do with something as personal as a bond. It took a shorter amount of time than Lucy had suspected it would, but Severus glanced once up at the pillar before placing his hand in hers. She moved immediately, taking him with her into her clan.

Severus made a small sound as they stepped through the barrier onto a small wooden platform. Lucy released his hand straight away, not wanting to overstep any bounds, despite the fact that she knew in the back of her mind that he probably needed some kind of reassurance. Glancing around, she took in the dense forest that the Wood Elf magic had helped to preserve and grow, the huts that began appearing halfway up the trees and the paths thick with flowers that she had helped grow herself. It was tempting for her to offer to show him around herself, but she knew that that was the job of the Head of the clan. Looking past where Severus stood, obviously taking everything in, she met her mother’s eyes with a grin.

“Severus, good to see you made it in one piece.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. She should have known that this had been some kind of test: her mother knew how nervous Severus made her and she had told Lucy that she needed to work on her people skills. Although just how this was supposed to help her overcome her natural cautiousness when it came to new people, she had no idea.

“Oi, come on,” she grinned as she slipped past Severus to make her way down to greet her mother properly. “I’m not quite as ditzy as you think I am.”

“I trust Lucinda did not give you too much trouble?” Catherine addressed Severus, a smile still playing at the edges of her mouth.

“No, no trouble at all, in fact,” Severus replied before moving down the steps to grasp hold of the hand Catherine had extended.

Lucy looked between the two of them for a few seconds before deciding that she was probably no longer needed there. Nodding her head in a small imitation of a bow to Severus, she moved off down the path that would lead to the prison – and her mate – but not before she heard the last thing Catherine said as they began walking in the opposite direction to Lucy.

“I am afraid she takes after her father more than me. But that is neither here nor there. I would assume you would like to be shown where you are to stay while you are with us, so if you will follow me, I can show you around on the way.”

*~*

“Harry?”

Harry’s head jerked up at the sound of Ron’s voice. Teddy – sitting in what remained of Harry’s lap –made a sound of objection at the sudden movement and Harry ducked his head again, allowing the baby to continue playing with his hair.

“What’s up?”

“Nothing.” There was a reluctance to Ron’s voice that Harry had rarely heard before and he turned his head so he could look at his friend. “Alright, so Hermione sent me over because she said that we should talk about what you’re _feeling_.”

Harry could not help the laughter that escaped him at the disgust in Ron’s voice. He heard Teddy copy him and turned his head back in time to see Teddy’s hair change pitch black and wild. Harry sat up when Teddy’s hands left his hair so he could run them through his own, still giggling.

“Sorry, she wants you to what?”

“I know how ridiculous it sounds, believe me,” Ron sighed as he flopped down into a chair opposite the one Harry and Teddy occupied. “What is it with women and feelings? Look, I get that you’re probably hurting because Severus has left, but you’re dealing, right? There’s no reason for anyone to worry about you.”

Harry grinned, partially because of Ron’s confidence in him and partially because he knew that this was Ron’s way of checking on him without _actually_ checking on him. “Right, I’m fine. Well, as fine as I can be without my mate here. We were both prepared for this and being here with everyone is actually helping. I’m in no danger of... I don’t know... crying whenever I see a black cloak?”

Harry joined in the relieved laughter that Ron gave in response. The words were actually the truth: yes, he missed Sev badly, but being here with everyone else was so much better for him than staying cooped up at home would have been. He knew he was going to be alright over the next few days; lonely, but alright.


	47. Chapter 47

Steeling herself for what she suspected was going to be a Severus Snape in a truly foul mood, Lucy took a deep breath as she arrived at the quarters assigned to the visiting dominants on their bonding journeys. In her capacity as temporary Head Healer – until they found someone to replace Adrian permanently – it was her duty to escort Severus to the Formal Reception Area where they would perform the blessing. She had spoken to her mother earlier and been informed that the ceremony would be cut down to the shortest version possible, because everyone who had seen the two of them together knew that Severus and Harry were properly bonded. Lucy found herself thankful for this, as it meant that she did not have to be standing in front of a room full of people staring at her. She raised her hand to knock on the door, clenching it into a fist so it would stop shaking.

“Lucy,” Severus greeted her as he opened the door, the formal green robes they had chosen earlier in the day giving his complexion a warm tint for once.

The formal tone to his voice told her he was probably holding something back, so she merely nodded and indicated that he should follow her. She kept an eye on him as they walked, just in case. Her years of training came in handy here, as they told her that while he was miserable, he was not actually sick. The amount of times dominants had come to the clan on their bonding journeys before and managed to make themselves sick with worry over their mate was surprising to her, but she could tell Severus was made of sterner stuff. She indicated to him to stop as they reached the small building where the ceremony would be performed. Slipping inside, she smiled at her mother as she stood to greet her.

“Is everything ready?”

“Lucinda,” Catherine replied in a mock-admonishing tone. “You and I are the only other people to be present. I do believe that there is nothing to prepare other than yourself.”

Rolling her eyes, Lucy opened the door in time to see Severus turning back to face her. Her eyes flicked over to where he had been looking, but when she saw nothing but bushes, she brushed it aside and smiled at him.

“Ok,” she took a deep breath. “Ready?”

“As I shall ever be. Lead the way.”

The smile he offered was obviously fake, which sent a shot of sympathy through Lucy’s chest as she turned to re-enter the room. It was just large enough to fit the elders of the clan as well as any family members of the pair involved in the bonding should they wish to watch the elders and Head judge whether a dominant was truly bonded to the submissive, but the benches sat empty this time. Although, she had to admit, the room was intimidating enough when it was empty, with all the torches lit and her mother standing on a raised platform up the front. She twitched her hand behind her in an indication to Severus to stop when she reached the designated spot.

“I come before the Head to present this dominant, who comes for your blessing for his bond with Harry James Potter. As Chief Healer present I can state conclusively that I have witnessed the strength of their bond and believe that neither has been coerced.”

Lucy hated that she had to perform the ceremony as formally as if the entire clan was there as well, but it was a requirement for Severus and Harry to get their blessing, so she would stick to the rules. Moving so she could stand to her mother’s right on the platform, she could not help sending a wink to Severus as he took her place in front of the platform. The corners of his mouth twitched before he knelt down on one knee, his hands laced together on top of his raised knee.

“Who is it that comes before me to seek my blessing?”

Lucy had to resist glancing over at her mother in shock as she heard the delight in her voice. Severus appeared to have either heard it or seen it in her eyes as well, as Lucy saw him resisting another smile.

“Severus Tobias Snape.”

“You are aware that by receiving my blessing for your bond here today you are verbally signing a magical contract between you and your mate. The contract requires you to swear that you shall love, trust and protect your mate to the best of your abilities. Are you willing to take this oath?”

There now seemed to be a touch of pride to Catherine’s voice and Lucy glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, knowing that she should not turn her head. Unfortunately, the angle was off, so she had to settle for almost-smiling at Severus again.

“I am.”

Catherine turned to face Lucy then, smiling now, albeit obviously reluctantly. “Lucinda Wainwright, as Chief Healer present, do you declare before the Head of your clan that the bond between Severus and Harry is true?”

“I do so declare, in the full knowledge that by doing so I submit myself to the same Laws governing the contract forged here today.” Lucy was not so reluctant as her mother and shot Severus a wide smile.

“Severus Tobias Snape, it has been decided that you are worthy to receive my official blessing as Head of the Newcastle upon Tyne clan. Rise and approach the dais.” Catherine had turned back to Severus, a clear look of pride crossing her features.

It became obvious that Severus was nervous then, as he took a deep, slightly shaky breath when he stood. Moving to stand in front of Catherine on the dais, he looked expectantly at her and Lucy could see the academic interest in what was about to happen flash through his eyes. That interest changed to mild surprise as the bright green of Elven magic swirled around him. Lucy concentrated on subtly casting the magic as her mother waved her wand through the green mist. It was always the job of the Head Healer to cast the magic in the blessing ceremonies and they had to do it so that the dominant in question did not realise that it was them. She had been practicing for weeks and was quite proud when Severus kept his eyes locked on Catherine.

“Let it be known that Severus Tobias Snape has the full official blessing of the Head of the Newcastle upon Tyne clan of Wood Elves for his bond with Harry James Potter.” The swirls of magic darkened as Lucy settled it down onto Severus’s skin, waiting for the offer she and her mother had decided to make to be voiced. “And, if he will accept it, full membership in the clan from this day forth.”

Pure shock settled on his face immediately and he glanced over Catherine’s shoulder to look at Lucy. She grinned wide, and nodded, hoping to encourage him to accept. Taking another deep breath, he turned back to Catherine as he trained his face into that blank mask Lucy was so used to seeing from him.

“I accept your generous offer gratefully.”

Lucy could see her mother smiling just as widely as she was as she waved her wand through the magic Lucy was casting. It settled down properly, seeping into Severus’s skin, giving him both the blessing and membership into the clan at the same time. His eyes slid shut and Lucy had to resist bouncing as she realised that Harry would probably know what had happened by now; about the blessing, if not the clan membership.

“Harry knows,” Severus confirmed with a smile as his eyes opened.

“Yes, I thought he would be able to tell, with the strength of your bond.”

Catherine smiled before moving off the platform and walking towards the exit. Lucy fell into step with Severus as he began to follow her mother to the exit.

“You know, she really is happy for you both; she just doesn’t like showing it too –” She stopped when a muffled shriek sounded just outside the door.

She found herself shoved behind Severus as they both reached the door at a run and was about to object when she remembered that he had been through two Wars and probably knew what he was doing. The sight of her mother being held with her hands behind her back by Adrian – wild-eyed and unkempt from obviously having run through the bush – sent Lucy’s temper raging wildly, but she held herself in check, just in case.

“Has it been done? Is it official?”

_He’s still after Severus?_ The thought drifted vaguely through Lucy’s mind before she was unable to hold the rush of anger back any longer.

“For fuck’s sake Adrian! What the _fuck_ do you think you’re doing? You do realise who that is that you’ve grabbed, right? There’s no getting out of this one now, no hope of clemency at all after this. They’re going to cut what little privileges you have now, hell they might even cut your mate’s visiting rights!”

Lucy was half-way through thinking that Link was much better off without Adrian when he let out an animalistic scream and charged her. She gasped, but the expected impact never happened; Severus had grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the way just in time. The following sickening crunch and flopping of Adrian’s body onto the packed earth beside her told her that he was not going to be moving any time soon. Jolts of pure panic hit her down her bond, but she stood frozen, simply staring at the unconscious body of the man she had once considered a close friend.

“Go, Severus. Go to Harry, he would have sensed that. Use the floo in your room; I shall be in touch in a few days.” Her mother’s voice jolted her out of her stupor and she was about to move to attend to her when Severus cut her off.

“Harry is fine for the time being; I would know if he were in need of me. You, however, are going into shock. Lucy, go alert your prison guards that they are missing a prisoner.”

His voice was pitched low, telling Lucy that he had some kind of Healing training if he knew how to treat someone in shock. She nodded her head and took off towards the prison and her mate, knowing that her mother was in good hands.

*~*

Harry had given up any pretence of doing something besides monitoring Sev long ago. He sat on their bed with the pillows propped behind his back, his head resting back on the bed head, his eyes closed and a small smile on his face. He had been scrutinising the emotions coming down the bond all morning and knew that Sev had been in an incredibly foul mood most of the day, with the exception of about an hour in the morning, when curiosity had taken over from the anger and frustration that had been all Harry had sensed from him since waking.

Catherine had sent Harry a very short note the night before, informing him that Sev had arrived and was doing well. It had explained that the official blessing would take place around afternoon tea time that afternoon, which is where Harry assumed the rush of nerves came from: it was right on 3pm. Sev must have been at least half-way through the ceremony by now and his nerves were starting to have an effect on Harry. He had tried to hold his own emotions in check, but the knowledge of what was currently happening combined with him being unable to help ease any of his mate’s nerves was preventing him from having much control over what he was feeling at all.

He ran his hands down over his belly, rubbing in soothing circles when he felt Baby begin to move restlessly. It had become obvious over the months that Baby reacted quite badly to Harry being under any kind of stress, so he knew that he had to get himself under control. Concentrating hard, he focussed on trying to summon at least a small amount of calm from amidst his roiling nerves. He did not have to concentrate long, because he felt a jolt of joy down the bond that could only mean one thing: Sev had obtained Catherine’s blessing. He grinned when he realised that Sev was projecting the feeling down towards him and sent his own happiness and thanks back to his mate.

Relaxing properly for the first time in almost 24 hours, Harry was tempted to go downstairs to where he knew Ron and Hermione were sitting in the living room and tell them the good news. He knew that they had been worried about him since Sev had left the night before, but he had been unable to reassure them, as he had felt as bad as he apparently looked. Shifting so that he could swing his legs over the edge, he hauled his bulk off the bed. Clutching the bedpost for balance as he made his feet, he glared down at his stomach.

“Baby, as much as I love you, you’re making my life a little difficult at the moment.”

He would have continued, but he was interrupted by a shock of adrenalin down the bond that had him gasping. The anger that followed was so strong that it had Harry clenching his hand onto the post in an attempt to control his own magic. He had not felt Sev this angry ever, not even when he had discovered that Harry had lied to him. The only saving grace was that there was no fear behind the anger, so maybe things were not as bad as they seemed to be. Sev’s anger spiked down the bond one last time before the excitement of the adrenalin rush began to fade. Harry sensed Sev pushing his emotions to the back of his mind, but knew that it was impossible for his mate to hide them from him. Focussing completely on Sev now, he projected his own worry and fear down the bond, hoping to get a response. Beneath the tensing of his nerves that Sev was obviously trying to suppress came a projection of reassurance: he was alright.

Harry released his grip on the bedpost, placed one hand on the small of his back and the other on the underside of his belly. Baby was holding up fairly well considering both of his parents had just been in a nearly uncontrollable state of panic a few seconds before. He stood there for a few minutes, simply monitoring Sev until he heard the floo flare downstairs. Thumping footfalls on the stairs reached his ears and soon enough the door was being pushed open carefully. The sight of his mate standing, safe and secure, in the doorway should have made Harry unbelievably happy. However, his initial reaction was a flash of anger that had him scowling at the bastard instead. How could he do this to him? Why had he not come straight home if he was fine? The rush of desire down the bond as Sev met his eyes washed away all of that anger as soon as it had appeared, turning his scowl mocking as he advanced slowly on his mate.

“I swear to God, Sev, if you ever scare me like that again...” He cut himself off this time when he got a look at the cuts and bruises on his mate’s right hand. Grasping it gently, he concentrated on what he instinctively knew was his Veela side, calling on his small amount of Veela Healing magic. “What happened?”

“I may have broken Adrian’s nose.”

Sev’s voice was rough and tinged with desire as he stared down at Harry, which Harry was more than willing to encourage. First, however, he needed the full story. Letting his fingers drift from Sev’s now Healed hand to his left forearm, he gave his mate a knowing look as lust rushed down the bond.

“Why?”

“Y-You believe I require a reason?” Harry blinked as his own desire rose to match Sev’s when his mate paused to take a shaky breath. “He threatened Catherine and her daughter.”

Unwilling to deny the strength of the desire that was now clouding his mind, Harry pushed Sev backwards until his back hit the closed door. He began running his hands down the buttons of the white shirt Sev wore, slowly exposing his mate to his hungry eyes. The grin that stretched across his lips was completely involuntary as he felt Sev reaching to pull the old t-shirt over his head and slipping his hands around to the small of his back. Pleasure shot through him and he closed his eyes when Sev began to slowly massage the constant ache from his lower back.

“Hmm... Smart, brave, powerful and willing to rescue the damsel in distress. Not to mention sexy as hell... Anything else I should know about you now that we are ‘official’, Mr. Snape?” Harry opened his eyes and gave his mate what he knew was probably a completely lust-filled look.

“I am yours, Harry; totally, undeniably yours.”

The kiss that followed stole Harry’s breath away. Moaning as he pressed as close to his mate as he could get, he attempted to get the fly on Sev’s trousers undone, but found his fingers too clumsy. The cloth disappeared with a wave of Sev’s hand, but Harry felt himself lifted into his mate’s arms before he could do more than break the kiss. Smiling as he was laid down on the bed, Harry held his breath as he saw Sev’s eyes begin to shift to the shimmering silver of his Veela transformation. A small jolt of surprise hit him down the bond and he nearly laughed as Sev’s wings spread out behind him and he shook his lengthened hair out of his way.

“Harry,” Sev murmured. “Do you have any idea just how unbelievably irresistible you are?”

Harry would have answered, but he was prevented by a gasp as he felt a finger sliding into him. He shook his head frantically on the pillow instead.

“No? Perhaps I should remind you. Even before I fell so helplessly in love with you, it simply amazed me that I had managed to bond with one of the most desired men in the entire wizarding world. I always knew that there would be people out there who would want you; people who made much more appealing choices as prospective partners than I could ever hope to be. You see, before I realised that it was absolutely impossible for me to _not_ love you as deeply as I do now, there was always this constant need to be with you; this desire to fulfil every single wish you had. I came to realise that it had nothing to do with my Veela, or even your Wood Elf heritage; it was simply my own desire to show you how incredibly grateful I am that you _chose_ to be with me after everything that had happened between us in the past. The simple fact that you could have elected to reject me in the Shrieking Shack all those months ago and chosen someone better for yourself, but did not... In that one moment I knew I would spend the rest of my life devoted to making absolutely certain you would never want for anything ever again.”

“S-Sev, oh Gods that’s good.” A second finger had Harry seeing stars, but he knew he had to get this out. “It’d be impossible for me to find someone ‘better’ for me when you’re the only one I’ve ever wanted. You’re always talking about how many times I’ve ‘saved’ you, but you have to know that you really didn’t need it: good men hardly ever do.”

“Harry.”

“No, Sev, don’t. Just listen to me for once.” Harry stared up into the silvery depths of Sev’s eyes and projected everything he was feeling through the bond: all the desire, love and reassurance that his words were true. “You were doing the right thing all along. Maybe sometimes you chose the wrong way to go about it, but everyone does that, that’s part of being human. The point is that you never really needed to be saved because there was nothing for you to be saved from. Everything you say I have saved you from over the past few months is what has made me love you so much; it’s all a part of you. You told me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with me once and now it’s my turn: you are perfect just as you are. I don’t want to change anything about you; I never have. Whatever it is you think you need saving from is part of what makes you you. And _you_ are exactly what I have always wanted. You’re my mate, Sev and there’s never been anyone else.”

Determinedly clinging to the very edges of his sanity as Sev added a third finger in beside the other two, Harry watched his mate carefully. He had no idea where those words had come from – everyone knew just how bad with words Harry had always been – but they were something he had been trying to get across to his mate almost since the second they had bonded. He knew that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Sev, but it seemed that years of being told how undesirable he was had had a poor effect on his mate’s mindset and Harry had spent the past eight months trying to convince him that he wanted _him_ , not some ulterior version of him who was supposedly better somehow. It took a few seconds, but he both saw and felt something click, almost as though there had been some part of himself that Sev had managed to hide away from Harry. He was pretty sure that Sev was unaware that he had seen it, but it was definitely there in a feeling that was freer than anything Harry had felt from him before, including the day of Sev’s Trial.

Having had the non-verbal confirmation that his mate had believed everything that he had said, Harry surrendered to the sensations rushing through him. It was almost unbelievable to him that just five months ago he was preparing himself to raise Baby alone and spend the rest of his life pining after his lost mate. This life – these sensations rushing through him – was everything he had ever wanted and now nothing stood in the way to his complete happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was technically the end of the first fic :) It seems that this one might have another five or six chapters to go, not counting the epilogue :D


	48. Chapter 48

Draco smiled as he was dragged back into Link’s arms yet again. He had discovered a quirk of Link’s that he had not encountered before: he disliked using warming charms to keep warm in the winter. The result of this peculiarity was that Draco – who had no problem casting a warming charm over himself when outside – found himself dragged into a hug at random intervals when they were out together.

Moving his arms so they covered Link’s around his middle, Draco leant back into the embrace, enjoying the feeling of having Link so close to him in public. He squirmed and let out an amused huff of breath when Link rubbed his cheek against his neck. The unusual feel of rough stubble against his skin left tingles running down his spine. Catherine had sent Link a letter warning him that Severus was going to the Newcastle clan on his bonding journey that weekend, so he had taken the entire weekend off, which apparently meant that he saw no need to shave. Not that Draco was ungrateful for having Link to himself completely with no threat of overtime or him being called in, but the slight dark blond stubble was a surprise. In fact, when combined with Link’s dreadlocks, long black coat, clunky black boots, and the confidence he had re-found when he realised he could no longer sense Adrian, the stubble actually made him look much closer to the rocker Draco had had small glimpses of over the months that was usually hidden beneath layers of ‘responsible Healer’.

“If I show up at the school on Monday with stubble rash, I’m dragging you in there to explain,” he muttered with a small smile. The deep chuckle he received in response sent his insides shivering.

“You like it.”

Draco’s eyes followed Link as he moved off down the row of shops lining Diagon and he found that he had to agree. _Gods help me, but I_ really _like it._ He knew that he had been spoiled over the Christmas break with the amount of time they had been able to spend together – as well as being able to use one of the bottles of Vinculum on New Year’s Eve two days before – and that going back to work on Monday was going to be difficult. But that was why he was so determined to make the most of this weekend: he had Link all to himself for two whole days.

Moving off after his mate as he made his way slowly down to stand in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies, Draco’s eyes drifted over to where two women were standing across the road from where Link stood. The approving looks they were giving him set Draco’s nerves on edge and he moved so he could wrap his arms around Link’s waist. He smirked at them over Link’s shoulder when his automatic reaction was to pull Draco closer. He received a roll of their eyes and a glare for his troubles, but he found it worth the effort: Link was his, plain and simple.

“Marking your territory?”

The words were low and quiet enough that Draco knew no one else could have heard them and held more than a little humour to them. Pressing closer, he buried his nose into Link’s hair, breathing in his earthy scent.

“Consider yourself marked.”

Link’s fingers touched lightly to the bite mark on Draco’s shoulder, although whether it was a reminder or an unconscious move on Link’s part, Draco had no idea. He flexed his shoulders in response, trying to hold back the shudder that had become an instinctive reaction to Link touching him there. He knew it was ridiculous, but it seemed like such an intimate gesture that he always reacted as though Link had groped him. Pulling back so he could see Link’s eyes, Draco knew that the move had been on purpose and that Link had known exactly how he would react.

“I do.”

The intensity to those two little words mixed with the warmth in Link’s eyes stole Draco’s breath away. Leaning in, his eyes drifted shut as Link readjusted his grip, holding him more securely against his chest. It was not until that grip became a little too tight that Draco realised something was wrong.

“Link?”

“I –I... Sorry, Dray, I can... I can feel him again.”

Link squeezed his eyes shut, but Draco saw the beginnings of his transformation in the pointed tips of his ears. Wrapping him safely in his arms, Draco twisted and took them both back to Link’s flat. Link staggered, but Draco held tight, helping him to balance until he could get his feet beneath him again.

“Adrian?” Draco’s voice was only just above a whisper when Link managed to stand again, pulling Draco as close as he could get. “How?”

Link shook his head. He did not respond for a while, simply standing there with Draco held tightly in his arms. Draco listened carefully, waiting for Link’s breathing to even out again.

“He’s angry – really angry.” Draco could hear the pain in Link’s voice and he found himself gripped with the sudden urge to keep Link locked away from the rest of the world where no one else could ever hurt him again. “I’m sorry, Dray.”

“No, it isn’t your fault,” Draco murmured as he slid his hands up the back of Link’s shirt beneath his coat. “ _He_ isn’t your fault.” They were both silent for a few seconds before Link gave a loud gasp. “Link?”

“I –he – he’s gone.”

“‘Gone’ as in...?”

“I don’t know.” Link pulled back, allowing Draco to see the remnants of the pain leaving his expression. “Not dead; I’d be in much worse condition if he’d died. Unconscious, maybe.”

Thankful that it was so easy for him to read Link, Draco offered a small smile. “What now?” He thought he knew the answer, but needed to hear it anyway. “Are we going to Newcastle?”

Link watched him for a few seconds before responding. “ _I_ am.”

“No, _we_ are. I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“You think I want _you_ anywhere near him?”

“He’s dangerous, Link.”

“I know; that’s why you’re staying here where you’re safe.”

“No, that’s why I’m going with you so _you’re_ safe.”

“Dray...” Link’s eyes closed again as he rested his forehead against Draco’s.

“You need me there with you Link. He might be unconscious now, but you’ll still be able to sense him when he wakes up again and–”

“Ok, ok.” Link was smiling as he cut Draco off. “But you have to listen to everything I say, alright? If I tell you to do something, you have to promise me you’ll do it, even if you don’t want to.”

Draco returned the smile as Link pulled away from him. He had no idea what would be waiting for them when they arrived, but whatever it was, he was going to make damn sure that his mate was safe.

*~*

Stress tensed Lincoln’s shoulders as he side-alonged Draco into the Newcastle clan. The only times he had expected to come here ever again were the times he had to show up to keep Adrian alive and he had never expected to have Draco along with him at all. He knew his instincts would never allow him to leave his mate in danger, so he would have to try to convince him to stay here where he was relatively safe. Lacing their fingers together, he led Draco over to the prison building, where he assumed Adrian would be.

“Who are you and what do you want?”

The large man who greeted them would have been intimidating if Lincoln had not been so focussed. “Lincoln Northam. Where’s Adrian and what has he done?”

“Hmm, Lucy’s mentioned you.” Lincoln’s mind raced, coming to the conclusion that this man must be Lucy’s mate just before he continued. “Douglas Wainwright. She’s off near the Formal Reception Area with Catherine, Adrian and the rest of the guards. Most of the Healers have been called over as well, as it seems Snape has one hell of a right hook.”

Lincoln squeezed Draco’s hand to get his attention when he let out a delicate snort of laughter behind him. Moving over near the door to the prison reception, he took a deep breath, preparing to fight Draco for every inch.

“I need you to stay here, Dray.” He held up a hand to shut his mate up when he opened his mouth to object. “Adrian’s still unconscious and if it’s because Snape has injured him somehow, then the Healers will keep him unconscious until they get him back here. I’m going to go over and see if there’s anything I can do to help, but they’ll probably bring him back before I get back. It’s best if he doesn’t see me here when he wakes up, but I want to know what he says when he does.”

“You’re asking me to spy on him?” The glint to Draco’s eyes told Lincoln he was going to get his way with this one at least.

“Yes.” He shivered as Draco touched the tip of his wand to his chest, casting a warming charm over him. “Is that a yes?”

Draco grinned. “Don’t think I don’t know exactly what you’re doing, but yes, I’ll stay here like a good boy.” He pressed close so he could brush their lips together. “If you come back with so much as a scratch on you, I’ll hex everyone in sight.”

Grinning as he made his way out into the cold afternoon air, Lincoln could not help thinking that Draco was going to prove more of a challenge than he had ever expected. His Elf prompted him to keep his mate safe, but Draco obviously was not going to have any of that. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he jogged down the path that led to the Reception Area, where he could hear voices. Rounding a corner, he caught sight of a man who could only have been Severus walking off down the path that led to the private areas of the clan. Lincoln slowed his pace as he saw Catherine standing up just in front of him. He made it to her side just in time to catch her as she stumbled.

“Mum, I told you to let me Heal you... Link!” Lucy’s usually cheerful voice was clouded with worry, but she offered him a smile anyway. “She’s in shock and won’t let anyone touch her.”

“Making sure Adrian is alright is the priority now, Lucinda,” Catherine retorted, but she held to Lincoln as he lowered her back to the log she had been sitting on.

“He’s fine; just unconscious.” Lincoln removed his wand from the holster on his jeans and began to scan Catherine, using the actions to distract him from the fact that Adrian had obviously been the one to injure her. “You have a mild concussion and are rapidly going into shock, but it’s being held back by something. What have you taken?” Glancing up at Lucy with a raised eyebrow resulted in an explanation, albeit an increasingly hysterical one.

“Just before the ceremony, I came out here and Severus was staring off at the bushes just over there–” she pointed in the direction of the prison “–but I thought nothing of it. He must have heard something though, because Doug says Adrian escaped right around the time the ceremony would have been starting. After everything had been done mum walked out before us and we heard her scream and–”

“Whoa, Lucy, calm down.” Lincoln stood and was nearly knocked down again as she threw herself into his arms. “It’s alright; there’s nothing you could have done. Do you want something to help calm you down?”

“No, I...” She sniffled a bit before pulling away from him. “Sorry. I need to keep focus here, so a charm that calms me down won’t be much use.”

Lincoln eyed her for a few seconds before nodding and returning to Catherine. Lucy continued in a slightly calmer voice as he examined her mother.

“Adrian had grabbed her. Severus and I didn’t actually see it happen; he was just _there_ when we came out. He wanted to know if Severus had gotten the blessing yet. It was almost as though he thought he could still bond with him somehow.” She paused, looking down at Lincoln with wide eyes. “Oh my God, I am so sorry! I didn’t think.”

He offered her a small smile before responding, figuring he was not going to get a real explanation of the mixture that day. “It’s ok, I don’t need him. Here; there’s a lump on the back of your head, Catherine. Will you allow me to Heal it, or do you want Lucy to?”

A slight movement out the corner of his eye caught his attention and he realised they were moving Adrian back to the prison. A tiny thread of worry over Draco wound its way through him, but he kept his eyes locked on Catherine’s.

“Go ahead; there’s nothing else for me to do here anyway.”

Lincoln had to resist rolling his eyes at her words: Gerard was very much like that when he was sick or injured as well. He figured it must be something to do with the inherent sense of responsibility the Heads dealt with that did not allow them to relax enough to look after themselves in the way they should. He pushed the thoughts aside as he concentrated on the Healing process. Focussing his energy, he felt it reach out towards Catherine just as he touched the tip of his wand to the back of her head, Healing both the concussion and the shock at the same time. Lucy moved to his side the second he stood again.

“Adrian managed to break through the charms on that necklace; that’s why you’re here?” She continued after he nodded. “We’ll have to have both mum and Gerard here to fix the charms. Mum will probably be busy sorting this mess with Adrian out for the rest of the weekend, which leaves the everyday running of the clan to me. I’ll get him here so you don’t have to keep coming back.”

He had to hold back the smile that threatened when he saw the years of training as the Head’s heir settling over her. Running through what would need to be done to refresh the charms, he realised that she was right: they would need Gerard there as well. Mentally cursing his bad luck, Lincoln nodded.

“Will it be possible to get him here on such short notice?”

“It should be, considering the urgency of what needs to be done.”

Lincoln raised an eyebrow, but refrained from commenting. If she thought she could boss Gerard around, then he would let her think that. He followed her gaze over towards the prison and found himself gripped by an urgent need to be near Draco; a need to know he was alright. Flexing his shoulders, he shifted his weight, trying to not look impatient. Apparently he managed to fail spectacularly at it, because Lucy saw straight through him.

“Is your mate here? The real one?”

“He wouldn’t let me come alone,” he mumbled with a sheepish grin. “I told him to stay back at the prison; I figured that’s where he’d be safest, even if Adrian managed to get away from the other Healers again.”

The smile Lucy offered up was warm, although he got the feeling the warmth was not for him. “Yeah, Doug’s not happy that he got past them; he’d make sure he’s safe. Alright, I’d better be going. Can you keep an eye on mum, just in case?”

The last was whispered as Catherine stood again, this time much steadier. Lincoln bade Lucy farewell as he followed along in Catherine’s wake back to the prison. He was grateful that she seemed to not want to talk, as it gave him time to sort through things in his mind. He hoped that after this weekend he would never have anything else to do with Adrian again, knowing that it was possible to use the same charms on something that Adrian could wear as well. It would leave him free to live his life with Draco, which is all he’d wanted from the start of this fiasco. He paused just inside the prison as he was hit with a wall of negative emotion that staggered him.

“Come here; it’s alright.” Lincoln wrapped his arms tightly around Draco’s middle as he was pulled into an embrace. “I was just coming to warn you not to come in: he’s blaming you for everything. Well, you and me.”

Lincoln smiled when he felt Draco manoeuvring him back out the door. His head cleared a little when the door closed and he realised that even at this small amount of extra distance, Adrian’s emotions were not as strong in his mind.

“Right, so if I had given you up, he wouldn’t have gone after Severus?” Lincoln could hear the disbelief in his voice as he pulled back to meet Draco’s eyes. “That’s never going to happen, by the way. You’re stuck with me now.”

“Good.” Draco grinned before loosening his grip. “We have to go back in there, don’t we?”

Smiling at Draco’s automatic assumption that they would be doing this together, Lincoln nodded. “I need to know exactly what’s going on and why he thought he could bond with a man who is already bonded to someone else.”

“He thought he could bond with _Severus?_ ”

“From what Lucy said, yes.”

Draco’s eyes took on a mischievous glint before he grinned wide. “I understand that technically he has to be smart to be a Healer, but pissing off the man who defeated Voldemort probably wasn’t his best move. If Harry ever sees him again...”

Lincoln returned the grin as he dragged Draco back towards the door. As interesting as it would be to see that particular interaction, he really did not want to think about what would happen to him if Adrian died. He was unsure if even his bond with Draco could save him if it ever came to that, so he avoided thinking about it as much as possible.

“Where the fuck is that worthless bastard? I can sense him, so he has to be close...”

Adrian’s voice carried through the entire prison it seemed and Lincoln steeled himself as they entered the small room the Healers had taken Adrian into so they could try to fix his injuries. The sight of Adrian’s face covered in blood as he stood in the corner of the room, holding the team of Healers back with a raised hand, sent a mixture of emotions through Lincoln that he had not expected. The dominating one appeared to be concern, although he was pretty sure it was over his own worry of being rejected than for Adrian himself. This shot guilt through him from his Elven side, which had been fairly dormant on the subject of Adrian until he could sense him again. A slight squeeze of his hand from Draco had him smiling as he met Adrian’s eyes from the doorway.

“Right here.”

Lincoln’s protective instincts began screaming at him to get Draco out of there the second he saw Adrian’s face clouding over with what could only be described as pure loathing. It was only the sure knowledge that Draco would refuse to leave that stopped him from trying to move him back out the door.

“You see? Look at that! He brought the disgusting half-breed here, into a clan that isn’t even his own! There has to be a law against this! He’s parading that _thing_ around in front of me out of spite. He never gave me a chance to seal the bond, so why can’t I choose my own mate like he did? At least I’d have the decency to choose someone who was worth it!”

Lincoln felt Draco tense beside him before he leant in to whisper in Lincoln’s ear. “He does know Severus is a Veela as well, right? I mean a proper one, with wings and claws and all?”

Turning to meet Draco’s eyes, he saw that they had not lost the glint they had developed outside and he had to smile in response, despite Adrian’s continued shrieks. Grasping Draco’s hand tighter, he moved them both off to the side where he knew they would not be in the way of the Healers as they continued to try to Heal the injuries Severus had inflicted on Adrian. With all the twisting and turning Adrian was doing in an attempt to avoid the Healers, Lincoln got a good look at two of his missing teeth as well as a clump hair matted with blood at the back of his head.

“That really must have been a hell of a shot to inflict those kinds of injuries,” he murmured back to Draco just as Catherine entered the room.

“It was Adrian’s own momentum that caused a lot of the injuries you see here,” she informed them in a voice loud enough that Lincoln knew it was designed for Adrian to hear as well. “Adrian was trying to attack Lucy and Severus protected her from him in the easiest and quickest way possible.”

Lincoln assumed Adrian must have been running to sustain those types of injuries in those places. _No wonder she’s as shaken as she is._

“I should’ve rejected him the second I realised how worthless he is!”

Lincoln’s breath left him as his Elven side began to panic at Adrian’s words. Closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around his middle in an automatic protective gesture, he fought to keep his Elf from lashing out. He felt himself being dragged back out of the room and into the small reception room of the prison, then pushed down onto one of the hard plastic chairs.

“Link? Come on, open your eyes.” Draco’s voice was soft, almost as though he did not want to startle him. “Let me know you’re alright.”

A small smile touched Lincoln’s lips as he was sharply reminded of the day Draco had accidentally discovered his heritage. The words may not have been exactly the same, but he knew that the emotions driving them were: Draco was worried for him. Obediently opening his eyes, he was met by a brilliant smile that warmed him much more than the charm his mate had placed on him earlier. Draco brushed his fingers across Lincoln’s temple, tucking a few stray dreads behind his ear before he leant in to kiss him lightly. Needing just that little more, Lincoln pressed closer, drawing Draco deeper into the kiss just as the door opened.

“And I thought you’d be in much worse condition.”

“Spectacular timing, Gerard,” Lincoln grumbled in response as Draco jumped back from him with a surprised gasp. “Can you reinforce the charms?”

“Hello to you too.” Lincoln grinned at the slight sarcasm shot his way as he stood and pulled Draco to his feet, wrapping his arm around his mate’s waist. Gerard grasped hold of the hand Lincoln offered with a matching grin and nodded to Draco, who looked slightly stunned by his sudden appearance. “It shouldn’t be that difficult. I assume you’re out here because of Adrian?”

“Yes, and he’s not going back in until they can find some way to mute that bastard.”

The force behind Draco’s voice told Lincoln there would be no arguing this time. Glancing at Gerard, he was surprised to see him shooting Draco an approving look: he was definitely not getting back in there. Ducking his head to rub a hand along the back of his neck, he sighed.

“What now, then? I need to know what’s going on with him and if it’ll keep affecting me like this. There’s no real point in keeping the necklace if he’s just going to be able to break the charms every fortnight when I come in here.” He smiled when Draco’s arm tightened around him slightly. “Also, if he’s going to keep trying to get to Severus, it’d be nice to have some warning.”

“Is _that_ what today was about? Lucy was a little vague.”

Lincoln opened his mouth to respond, but Draco beat him to it. “When we went in, he started raving about how us being together cheated him of a chance to have a real bond. He thinks I’m the only reason Link doesn’t want him and that he deserves a chance to have a real bond. Apparently he’s willing to go to all lengths to get that chance, including trying to break the bond between Severus and Harry as well as trying to break us up. Again.”

“What’s so special about this Severus? I must be missing something only the submissives see.”

“Buggered if I know.”

Lincoln snorted with laughter just as Catherine entered the room from the small medical room. He knew he should not find it funny to hear Draco using such a common phrase, but it always tickled him: it was the proof that he had had a bad influence on Draco’s speech patterns.

“Ah, Gerard, I assume Lucy contacted you? We can get this sorted now so Lincoln and Draco can leave; there’s no point in forcing them to put up with this.”

Lincoln watched as Draco perked up at those words; he knew his mate wanted nothing more to do with Adrian either. It took a few minutes of fiddling with the necklace, but they managed to reinforce the charms so they should be strong enough to last through the worst of Adrian’s tantrums. The part that came next was both a complete shock and one of the most welcome things Lincoln had ever heard.

“I believe we should be able to charm something else so you should not have to continue coming in here every fortnight to keep Adrian from going into withdrawal as well, Lincoln.” He watched in stunned silence as Catherine pulled a small ring out of her pocket and raised an eyebrow to Gerard. “Charming this with Lincoln’s magical signature should be enough to keep Adrian alive without actual contact, yes? Even in solitary, where he will be going the second the Healers manage to fix his injuries?”

He could have sworn that he could almost hear the excited thumping of Draco’s heart beside him as the arm Draco had around his waist tightened further. “You mean I’ll be free to not come back _ever_? He’ll be gone completely?”

“With the exception of a one-time check-in, yes,” Catherine replied with a small smile. “We shall need to make absolutely certain the charms will hold permanently, so I will want to test them in about a month, but beside that you will be free.”

Looking back on the moment later on, Lincoln realised that he remembered nothing other than the delirious joy that had overwhelmed him from that second until he got back into the flat with Draco. He knew Draco must have Apparated them both there, but all he could focus on was the feelings of freedom and elation that clouded his mind.

“My Elfling,” Draco murmured, dragging Lincoln back to the real world.

“Dray?”

“ _My_ Elfling.” He stepped as close as he could get, running his fingers lightly over Lincoln’s pointed ears.

“Yes, cariad.”

The last coherent thought that ran through Lincoln’s mind for the next hour or so was he was now officially Draco’s. They did not need a ceremony or ‘official’ bond to be happy together and that was just fine with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra injuries as requested :D


	49. Chapter 49

“Just breathe, Link,” Draco coaxed as they made their way through Hogsmeade towards Severus and Harry’s house. “Neither of them are as scary as the papers try to make out, I promise.”

“That’s easy for you to say: _you_ weren’t claimed by the man who tried to break them up.”

Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head at Link’s stubbornness. They had been having this same discussion for the past week since the incident at the Newcastle clan and Draco had finally made the decision that he was simply going to take Link to meet Severus and Harry so he could see that they – and their bond – were fine. Link had apparently been worried that Adrian’s interference would have had a bad effect on Severus and Harry’s relationship and had refused to listen to Draco when he had said that they were fine. The solution as Draco saw it was simple: get the three of them together. Link had to meet Severus and Harry at some point, as it seemed a little weird to keep him away from the people that Draco interacted with regularly. Stopping as they made it to the path that led up to the house, Draco turned and wrapped his arms around Link’s shoulders.

“ _I’ve_ done worse to Harry over the years than he could blame you for and he’s still forgiven me enough to offer me the second Defence job.” Link wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist in response, but still glanced nervously towards the door of the house. Tugging gently on a dreadlock to get Link’s attention again, Draco smiled. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then believe me when I say that this is going to go really well.”

“Fine,” Link sighed. “But the Defence Professor had better have some decent shield charms ready, just in case.”

Draco laughed as he slid his hand down to lace their fingers together. “If either of these two wants to hex you, I don’t think a shield will stop them.”

“Thanks, that’s really helpful.”

Draco grinned at Link’s sarcasm as he knocked on the door. It opened a few seconds later and they were greeted by the sight of Harry brandishing what appeared to be a feather duster. He blinked at them a couple of times before speaking.

“Draco? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing; Minerva offered me this weekend off Head’s duties because of what happened last weekend. She said we need some time to ourselves, so she doesn’t want to see me around the castle until Monday morning.” Draco noticed Harry’s eyes drifting over to Link with a strange look as he finished speaking.

“You’re a Wood Elf.” He stared for a few seconds before his eyes widened. “Oh no, Draco, please tell me you already knew that!”

Draco could not resist the urge to glance over to Link, whose face was alight with amusement as he watched Harry. “It’s ok, Potter, I _definitely_ already knew.”

“Oh thank God. Catherine and Lucy said something about a secrecy charm, but it doesn’t seem to affect me at all.” He smiled as he took the hand Link had offered him. “Harry, nice to meet you...?”

“Lincoln Northam,” Link supplied with a wide smile. “Good to meet you, too.”

Harry seemed to simply accept that Draco had arrived on his doorstep with a stranger in tow, because he stepped back, waving the duster towards where Draco knew the living room was. “Sev’s in the living room. I assume he’s who you’re after.”

“Actually, we were hoping to have a word with both of you.” Draco held tight to Link’s hand as they entered the hallway and smiled when he received a squeeze of his fingers in response. “If that’s possible.”

Harry’s eyes widened a little with what looked to be surprise, but he seemed to recover quickly. “Er, sure, yeah. Drink?”

“I wouldn’t say no to a Firewhisky if you’ve got one.”

Harry glanced over to Link, who requested the same. “Sev?”

“If you do not mind.”

“Sure.”

Harry turned and waddled off into the kitchen, depositing the duster on a table as he went. It was strange to hear Severus relating to someone in such a normal way, but Draco discovered that he liked knowing that he was happy. After everything that had happened, Severus deserved to finally have someone who apparently accepted him the way Harry did. Draco heard Link take a deep breath just before they entered the living room. It made him wish he could have just paused right there to reassure him, but he knew it was impossible; not even _he_ could be that rude to Potter. Severus glanced up as they entered the room and Draco could have sworn that he saw a hint of surprise to his expression before it was swiftly hidden.

“Draco, this is a surprise. Did I forget an appointment we had?”

Smiling up at Severus, Draco could feel himself relaxing a little. This meeting would have been so much more uncomfortable for him if it had only been with Harry. Sure, they had patched up most of their problems, but there was still an awkwardness to their interactions that sometimes left Draco squirming.

“No, not at all. Severus, this is Lincoln; I just wanted to introduce you all.”

He watched as Severus’s eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them as he shook Link’s hand. It was almost possible to see the pieces of information clicking into place in Severus’s mind and Draco held his breath as he realised that Severus had heard the exchange in the hallway. He must have worked something out as he gave Link a searching look before he spoke again.

“You would not be the Lincoln Lucy mentioned?” Draco squeezed Link’s hand as he felt him tense. “She mentioned Adrian’s mate was with someone from Hogwarts, Draco, but I did not expect it to be you. Sit, please.”

Draco smiled at Severus’s apparent acceptance just as Harry walked back into the room, three bottles of Firewhisky floating in front of him. He appeared to be holding a bottle of muggle-brand orange juice for himself, which brought back memories of watching him eating chocolate-dipped oranges in the Great Hall. Forcing a smile through his disgust at the memory as he accepted the drink, Draco noticed Harry giving Link a strange look.

“Adrian’s mate did you say?” His eyes flicked up and down Link, a small frown forming.

“Yes, I... Well, Adrian claimed me a little over four months ago.” Draco could hear the nerves in Link’s voice and ran his hand along the small of his mate’s back in a gesture of comfort when Link leant forward to rest his forearms on his knees. “I wanted to apologise for everything he’s put the two of you through over the past few months. If I’d had _any_ idea of what he was capable of...”

Draco watched as Harry blinked in what appeared to be surprise as he seated himself close to Severus on the other lounge. “I didn’t think a dominant had any kind of physical control over their submissive, even if they’re full-bloods?”

“No, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that I couldn’t stop him. I knew he was angry before he came to Hogwarts and I _should_ have made an effort to at least warn you that something might happen.” Link fidgeted with his unopened drink for a few seconds before raising his head to meet Severus’s eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t have the foresight to stop him from trying to break your bond.” His gaze shifted to Harry. “And for the fact that he tried to steal your mate in revenge for me having Draco.”

“You believe this was purely an act of revenge?” There was a deep curiosity to Severus’s voice, but Harry interrupted before Link could respond.

“I don’t think it was and even if it _was_ , Lincoln, I wouldn’t blame you. Adrian was in full control of his own actions both times he tried to steal Sev: he knew exactly what he was doing.”

Draco smiled when he felt Link begin to relax. “I’ve been trying to tell him for the past week that this mess with Adrian hasn’t affected your bond at all. In fact, if anything, you both seem much securer now than you were back when this all first started in November.”

The slight blush that crossed Harry’s cheeks before he ducked his head almost had Draco chuckling. He had not meant for the words to be taken that way, but if Harry’s mind was that dirty, then there was nothing Draco could do about it.

“Draco is right, Lincoln: Harry and I have never been stronger. Even Catherine and Lucy have noticed it in the small amount of time we have spent in their presence. There is absolutely no reason for you to feel guilty over what has happened. Although, I must admit to being curious over exactly how Adrian managed to claim a man who was obviously already taken.”

“Prior claims mean nothing if there’s no bond, apparently,” Draco muttered, unable to keep the resentment out of his voice. He had not stopped rubbing along Link’s back and now worked his hand in beneath the bottom of Link’s shirt, knowing Link would appreciate the actual skin-to-skin contact. “He was supposed to accept that we were together before he came along, but he either wouldn’t or couldn’t, which is where this all started from.”

“Forgive me, Draco, but you seem to be reacting to him like you have an unsealed bond: your body language is protective, you are instinctively keeping contact and you both seem to be very in tune with each other. Unless you know each other extremely well, that says bond to me.”

Draco glanced over to Link, whose eyes were widening in apparent shock. Unsure of how to react – whether Link would want him to tell Severus and Harry everything – he stammered a little as he answered.

“I – uh...”

“It’s alright, Dray.” The words were quiet as Link straightened up and smiled at him before turning back to the others. “I have an unsealed bond to Draco, but he doesn’t have one to me. Because of his Veela blood, it’s possible for me to force a bond between us; or it would have been if Adrian hadn’t claimed me.”

“So unless something happens to break the unsealed bond between you and Adrian, you’re stuck being unable to bond with Draco?” Harry’s voice held what appeared to be a massive amount of sympathy for Link and it took Draco a few seconds to work out why: he had had an unsealed bond to Severus for months, so he must know what Link was going through. “What happens if Adrian dies?”

“ _Harry_ –” Severus began in a scolding tone, but Link interrupted him.

“No, it’s ok; I’ve actually been wondering the same thing, as well as what would happen if he rejected me. Unfortunately, I can’t answer either question. There’s no one else alive – that we know of – who has two bonds, so we can’t just go ask someone either. I would hope that in either case, I could just bond with Draco, but it’s also possible that that wouldn’t work because whatever it is inside me that creates the sealed part of the bond would be broken beyond repair when the bond with Adrian breaks as well. It’s entirely possible he’d take me with him.”

Draco closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. He had known, of course, what the possibilities were if anything like that ever happened, but hearing Link speak about it so matter-of-factly was a shock he had not been prepared for. His insides continued to quiver with fear until Link draped an arm across his shoulders and pulled him close. His eyes opened to see that Severus and Harry had exited the room so quietly he had not heard them move.

“I’m sorry, Dray,” Link murmured into his hair as he pressed his lips to Draco’s forehead. “I know we’ve never spoken about it, but it may very well be the reality of the situation.”

“ _No_.” Draco put as much force behind the word as he could, knowing that he was being childish, but uncaring at that point. “I refuse to believe it.”

Draco tilted his head up to meet Link’s lips in a possessive kiss. He found himself incredibly grateful when Link met him with the same kind of passion, forcing Draco’s lips apart and exploring all around his mouth. He knew they could not stay here in Severus and Harry’s living room, but he somehow knew that Link would stop him; that he would take just enough to satisfy them both before pulling back. Sure enough, when Link broke the kiss, Draco was feeling much securer than he had been just a minute or so before. His insides still felt a little weak, but his hands and voice no longer shook.

“I love you, Elfling.”

“Hmm... Love you too, Dray.” Link’s eyes were still closed and Draco had to smile, knowing that he was probably trying to force his Elf to the back of his mind, as that was how he usually reacted when Draco showed this level of loyalty to or need of him. “You know, Severus is right: you really do react to me like you’re my true submissive.”

“That’s because I am, you twit.” Draco grinned wide when Link lost the battle with his Elven side, his ears turning pointed in a matter of seconds.

“You did that on purpose,” Link grumbled as he opened glowing deep blue eyes.

“Of course I did.”

Draco stood to offer Link his hand so they could go find Severus and Harry so he could apologise. He was only slightly disappointed when Link cast a glamour before leaving the room; while he may have wanted to show his beautiful mate off, he did not really want it to be to either Severus or Harry. In fact, now that the idea had crossed his mind, he knew exactly what he wanted to do that weekend. He did not linger over the goodbyes, the urge to get Link back to London and onto the dance floor of the Lucky proving much more tempting.

*~*

Harry’s alarm on his watch went off at just before six the next morning. He had charmed it to silently vibrate in the hope that it would not wake his mate and it appeared to have worked, if the heavy breathing he could hear was any indication. Smiling to himself as he slid as carefully as possible down beneath the covers, he knew Sev would not have been expecting him to do anything for today, so this would come as a complete surprise. It was the day of Sev’s 39th birthday and Harry had borrowed Kreature from the Hogwarts kitchens for the day so all they had to do was lie in bed and relax. Well, Sev could lie in bed and relax after Harry was done with him, anyway.

Smiling as he looked down on his mate from beneath the sheets, Harry grinned as adrenalin rushed through him. His cock began to fill as he leant down and took a deep breath, inhaling his mate’s scent. One of Sev’s hands landed in Harry’s hair, clenching hard as he licked a stripe up the length of his mate’s cock.

“Harry?” Sev’s voice was low and sleep-roughened, sending shivers of delight up Harry’s spine. “What... Mmm... What are you...?”

“Happy birthday, Sev,” Harry responded before dipping his head and continuing his ministrations.

The soft sigh he got in response had Harry chuckling as he ran his lips lightly along Sev’s length. It had been getting more and more difficult for them to work out comfortable positions as Harry’s pregnancy progressed and Harry knew that Sev would appreciate having all of his attention focussed solely on him, especially if he continued to lavish attention on him the entire day. Shifting his focus, he moved down slightly so he could run the rough side of his tongue over Sev’s sac and sucked gently when Sev spread his legs in offering. Having the full bond had made pleasuring his mate so much easier for Harry, but he still preferred to focus on the physical indicators that Sev gave off: a slight nudge from Sev’s thigh and Harry shifted his attentions to the right; a soft huff of breath when his fingers trailed softly over Sev’s hip had him gripping slightly harder; a tightening of the hand in his hair told him he had hit just the right spot and he paused to lick and suck at the base of Sev’s cock. He could feel the desire building down the bond as Sev rapidly reached his full length and he had to resist the urge to reach down and stroke his own hard cock. Today was about Sev and he would not become distracted by his own needs, no matter how desperate they became. Unable to resist, Harry moved to lap up the pre-cum that had begun to leak from the head of Sev’s cock, humming in pleasure as the salty taste hit his tongue.

“Harry.” The sound of his name being said in such a breathless voice by his mate spiked Harry’s own desire to be touched, but he resisted, raising his head so he could meet his mate’s eyes instead. “Come here.”

“No, let me–”

“ _Harry_.”

There was no disobeying Sev when he got that tone to his voice, although Harry had no idea how he managed it in the condition Harry had brought him to. With one last swipe of his tongue, he crawled up the bed to hover above his mate. Sev’s eyes appeared even blacker than usual in the darkened room and Harry could not help but wonder what it would take to get them to shift to the shimmering silver of his Veela transformation. He did not get to experiment, as Sev grabbed his hips and moved him downwards.

“Sit.”

Harry obeyed with a small frown, following Sev’s guiding hands so that he was straddling the top of Sev’s thighs. What Sev thought he could achieve in this position was beyond Harry, but he waited obediently. Trying to control his breathing was beginning to become a slight difficulty when Sev brushed his fingers lightly over Harry’s thighs, but it was well worth the reward. Shifting him a little closer, Sev wrapped his hand around both of their cocks and stroked upwards. The sensation had Harry gasping and he rocked his hips forward, giving Sev a better grip over him.

“Gods, Sev... I...” Harry was unable to voice the feelings rushing through him, but Sev knew, he was sure of it.

“Yes, Harry.”

Locking eyes with his mate, Harry saw all the desire he was feeling reflected back to him in the early dawn light that filtered through the gap in the curtains. He leant forward enough so he could balance on one hand and use the other to trail soft patterns across Sev’s collarbone and neck, enjoying the sensation of building lust shooting down the bond. The slide of his cock against Sev’s was just beginning to cause Harry’s head to spin when he heard the slight catch of breath that told him Sev was getting close. His hand automatically moved to wrap around Sev’s over the two of them and he jerked faster, needing to know his mate was satisfied before taking his own pleasure. It was not long before he felt Sev’s thigh muscles spasm, followed swiftly by his orgasm. Harry kept working his hand along both of their cocks, using Sev’s cum to slide his hand quicker than their natural lubricant would allow. A last twist of his wrist had Harry tipping over the edge as well and he cried out before collapsing to the side.

It surprised Harry how long it took him to recover, but he put it down to the exhaustion he associated with the pregnancy. Whatever it was that caused him to sleep so heavily, it did not seem to bother Sev, as he allowed Harry to sleep until he had risen and showered. Opening his bleary eyes as he heard Sev re-enter the bedroom, Harry grinned when he saw that Sev had not bothered to dress. It had taken him so long to convince his mate that he found him attractive that he took every opportunity to watch him moving around naked that he could get. Considering their earlier activities, it came as a complete shock to Harry when the topic of conversation that popped into his mind had absolutely nothing to do with either of them.

“What did you think of that guy yesterday, Sev?”

Harry knew that Sev would want to talk about this Lincoln and the effect he was having on Draco and that there was no one else he would feel comfortable enough to speak to about it. He certainly could not go to Narcissa if he had worries about Draco unless they were real worries, not ones that involved a relationship he had involved himself in. Sev was quiet for a long while, obviously considering Harry’s question in detail, which Harry was thankful for. It surprised him that he and Draco had managed to form a truce let alone a tentative friendship, but it seemed that that was exactly what they had managed. He smiled when Sev settled back down in the bed with him.

“I noticed that you felt... Relaxed? No, it was more than that. Being in the presence of another who has Wood Elf blood gives your emotions a tranquil feel that is not present with anyone else save me.”

Harry lay there for a few seconds staring up at the ceiling, processing everything Sev had both said and implied before rolling over to capture his lips in a soft kiss. “I love you.”

“I am aware of that.”

Harry grinned. “I first noticed it with Lucy and Catherine. I think my Elf reacts to other Elves being around and that it relaxes, leaving me more in control than at other times. I can sense it watching everything that’s happening sometimes, like it’s letting me know it’s there if I need it or something. It’s hard to explain, but when I’m with you or them, then it relaxes almost completely.”

“Like a security blanket.”

Smiling at the analogy, Harry ran his fingers through Sev’s hair, brushing it back from his face. “Yes; I feel safest with you.”

Sev drew him into an embrace, simply holding him against his chest and Harry sighed. It was nice to know that he had not imagined the feeling of safety he got from both Lucy and Catherine and to know that Sev had no objections to the idea.

“Getting back to the subject at hand, however,” Sev murmured a few minutes later. “I believe Lincoln may be having a good influence on Draco. If you compare the Draco we know now to the boy who blindly followed along in Lucius’s wake, you can see that there has been some kind of positive influence on him over the past few months.”

Harry nodded thoughtfully when Sev paused. “It would also explain some of his mood swings.” Harry nudged him with his shoulder when Sev laughed. “I’m serious! The timeline they gave us yesterday means that Lincoln would have been claimed just before school started back up again. You remember that huge fight I had with Draco during the first staff meeting of the year? Right before we sealed our bond? Well, he was in that filthy mood for nearly a full month before he started to lighten up a bit. That must have been when they broke up, after what Adrian did to keep them apart.”

He knew it was horrible of him, but Harry had felt a rush of gratitude when he had discovered that he and Sev had not been the only ones Adrian had targeted. The fact that he had also gone after Lincoln and Draco’s bond actually made Harry feel a little better.

“What was it like to have an unsealed bond for so long?”

Harry blinked in surprise, but understood immediately why Sev was asking. “He’ll always feel the urge to bond with Draco; it will never go away. It’s something that you _can_ live with, but it’ll make being separated for long amounts of time difficult.” He had no idea how he knew that part, but judging from the strength of the urge to be near his mate after spending the day apart from each other he had felt before they had sealed his side of the bond, Lincoln was probably in for a bit of a hard time over the next few months until he got used to the sensation. “He’ll want to hope he has a good support network back in his clan, because it might overwhelm him sometimes.”

“Mmm, just as I had thought. I wonder if there is a way for Lincoln to form a bond without the need to reject Adrian. Not that I would feel for him if he was rejected, but I am certain Lincoln would not want that on his conscience. It would make life that much easier for Draco as well if he did not have to worry about Lincoln and his bond.”

Harry could have continued the conversation all day, as the idea of studying these kinds of bonds held a fascination for him that he knew would one day get the better of him. However, it seemed that his mate had other ideas, ones that had Harry quite thoroughly occupied for the next few hours.


	50. Chapter 50

“Kreature,” Harry gasped as he sank down on the edge of the bed, his arms wrapped around his stomach. “I th-think I n-need...”

“Kreature is going to get Master Severus for you, Master Harry.”

Nodding rapidly as another contraction hit, Harry groaned. He had held out as long as possible after feeling the first contraction, just as the Healers had told him to, but this was definitely his limit. The first had started not long after Sev had gone off to work that morning and it was just on lunchtime now, so Harry figured it was roughly four hours he had held out for. He knew that that was a really short amount of time for heavy labour to start, but this really was not something he could control, no matter how much he wished he could.

He had lowered the strength of the bond that morning, hoping that his mate would assume it was so that he did not sense the foul mood Sev was apparently in. It appeared to have worked, as all he had gotten in response was a shot of guilt that he assumed meant his mate was trying to apologise. As thankful as he was that he had not managed to worry Sev too early, he found himself now wishing that he had called for him a little earlier, because the pain from the contractions was causing his head to spin with pain. The crack of apparition sounded downstairs and Harry received an immediate sense of _Severus_ followed swiftly by the thumping of footsteps apparently running up the staircase towards him. Wrapping his arms around his belly, Harry sagged down on the edge of the bed, panting as the contraction began to subside.

“Harry! Come on, love, talk to me.” Sev’s face swam into focus before him as the pain finally ended.

“Back has been hurting for a while now,” Harry gasped as he met his mate’s worried eyes. “Thought it was just normal aches. Need hospital _right now._ ”

Harry found himself carefully scooped into his mate’s arms just as another contraction began. He was unable to prevent the clenching of his hand in the front of Sev’s teaching robes and it took all he had to not cry out as it felt like his entire body spasmed in pain from the tips of his hair to the soles of his feet. Unfortunately, the pain was followed by the sickening jerk of the Portkey that the hospital had given them during their last visit and Harry held his breath in an attempt to not vomit all over Sev.

“Hello, Mr... Oh! Let me get the Healer!”

The female voice sounded worried, but Harry found he could not think about anything other than the impending birth of his child. He felt himself being lowered into a wheelchair as the woman ran off. Harry knew slowly reopening the bond between them would allow Sev to sense the fear he was currently feeling, but he also knew he needed the reassurance of being able to sense his mate. A wave of anxiety hit him down the bond and he glanced up into his mate’s eyes.

“I’m scared, Sev. I – I’m not sure I can do this; it’s too much.” He was being unfair and he knew it, but he desperately needed the reassurance only his mate would be able to offer.

Sev smiled when Harry grasped his hand as he knelt down to rest their foreheads together. “You defeated the greatest Dark Lord of all time, Potter; I am sure you can do this as well.” 

Well. That was not what he had been expecting to hear. Unfortunately, he could feel another contraction on its way and it caused him to lash out.

“I cast a bloody curse at him; I didn’t push him out of me! There’s a little bit of a difference!” He could hear the snarl in his voice and knew he would have to apologise later on.

“And you shall not be pushing anything out of you this time, either. As I understand it –”

This was really all Harry could take and he grabbed a handful of Sev’s robes to pull him closer and let loose with the first thing that came to his pain-fogged mind. “I’m going to fucking well finish the job Nagini couldn’t if you don’t stop!”

“Ah, Harry, Severus, I was wondering if I would be the one on duty when you came in. Nurse Jackson tells me you are very near your delivery time, Harry.”

Healer Morgan, the man they had seen each time they had been at St. Mungo’s, sounded way too cheerful for Harry’s state of mind, but all he could do was nod rapidly in response. Harry felt Sev break his grip on his robes and attempt to pull his fingers out of Harry’s other hand, but failed to do so as the contraction continued. Relief only came when the contraction eased, allowing Harry some control back over his extremities. As focussed on the ebbing pain as he was, Harry did not even notice that the wheelchair he was in was being moved until he realised that he was being moved onto a bed in what must be the birthing suite.

“Why did you not come sooner?”

“He did not tell me he was in labour.” Harry could have sworn that if it was possible to hear someone roll their eyes, that that was exactly what he would have heard just then from his mate. “The bond senses _emotions_ , not physical pain.” Sev now sounded more than a little exasperated and Harry realised the Healer must have shot him a reproachful look. “The timing will not cause complications, will it?”

“Not at this stage, it shouldn’t. Another hour or two and it would have, though.” The words managed to penetrate the fog surrounding Harry’s mind and he felt his apprehension spike, which made him incredibly thankful for the Healer’s next words. “Stand back behind him, Severus; he will need your support through this.”

Grabbing hold of his mate’s hand again as another contraction began, Harry’s mind went immediately to what could have been done to prevent him from having to go through this. They could have adopted; they could have used a surrogate; his bloody stupid mate could have used contraception! It was not like Harry had known a single thing about gay sex when this had begun and he had certainly not known that it was even possible for him to conceive. If he had, then he knew he would have insisted...

“I’m going to hex your fucking balls off, you bastard,” Harry could not help snarling as Sev leant in towards him from behind where he had positioned himself. “There’s contraception spells you could have cast, I know there is!”

A cloth barrier was placed across Harry’s chest as the contraction was ending, blocking his view of what was happening down there. His mind began to clear a little at the same time, sending a small shot of guilt through him just as he felt a mild painkiller potion being spread on his stomach.

“I’m sorry, Sev. I don’t really...”

The touch of Sev’s hand against the nape of Harry’s neck silenced him, sending more reassurance through him than any words could have at that point. Unbelievably grateful that Sev had managed to work out a way to comfort him without words that Harry was pretty sure he would not have heard at that point anyway, he tried to calm himself a little. Knowing that the massive amounts of fear and worry would probably not be good for either him or the baby, he managed to clear his mind a little by focussing on the comfort of his mate’s touch. Unfortunately, it was that second that Healer Morgan began the procedure. Panic rocketed through Harry and he grasped Sev’s hand again, squeezing tight.

“Talk to me, Sev.”

He sensed something happening down the bond and was hit by a projection of calm and reassurance down the bond in a matter of seconds. Just how Sev was able to summon that much calm at this point was beyond Harry, but it became clear in another few seconds. A strange pulse down the bond told Harry that Sev’s Veela was pushing to the front of his mind.

“Harry, I need you to listen to me very carefully, ok?” Harry had to focus on the quiet words closely, pulling his attention from what was going on behind the barrier that was blocking his view of his stomach. “Healer Morgan is nearly done, love. When he tells you to, all you shall have to do is push and then it will all be over. Just a single push and that is it.”

“Sev,” Harry almost whimpered, the worry over what was about to happen managing to overwhelm even the calm Sev had projected to him. “What if –” He broke off when the Healer spoke again from the end of the bed.

“I need you to push, Harry. You’re almost there; all I need is one big push.”

Shaking his head wildly as images of what was happening down behind the screen flashed through his mind – they had cut him open to allow the baby to come out – Harry felt his fear take him over completely. “I can’t... I’m sorry, I can’t... Too much, too much.”

Harry let out a gasp just before the nurses did as he felt the pulse down the bond that indicated that Sev’s Veela had taken over. He glanced up into beautiful silvery eyes staring down at him with a vast amount of love and comfort and found himself unable to look away. This is what he had been seeking earlier: the strong, steady stream of love and hope for their future that he always got from Sev at home, but he had never displayed in public before. Sev’s hand grasped Harry’s chin, holding him in place so he could brush their lips together lightly.

“You know I love you?”

“Yes.”

“And you trust me?”

“Of course.” Harry had to resist frowning at the inanity of the questions, but it was impossible for him to break eye contact at that point.

“Push. It will all be over in a few seconds, I promise.”

Sev squeezed Harry’s hand at the same time Harry sensed the Veela retreating just enough for him to manage to break out of the trance he had been in. Taking a deep breath, he nodded. He could do this; he had his mate and that was all he needed. Bearing down, Harry let out the breath in a grunt that sounded almost animalistic to his ears. Thankfully, Sev had been right: that one push was all it took before Harry heard a sharp wail that had definitely not come from him. Unable to bear it any longer, he let out a shaky breath that ended with a shudder as tears sprang to his eyes. Then Sev was there, threading his hand through Harry’s sweat-soaked hair and gently brushing their lips together, relief rushing down the bond so strong Harry had to smile through the remnants of the pain.

“Go, Sev, go meet the baby,” Harry whispered, knowing that his mate needed to make sure the baby was fine.

He listened to the quiet cries of the baby as the Healers swiftly Healed and cleaned him, one of them even giving him what felt very much like an energy-boosting potion. It sounded as though this baby was going to have a brilliant set of lungs, if the volume being reached was any indication. Sev turned very carefully back towards the bed with the tiny bundle wrapped in a white blanket just after the Healers left. Automatically reaching for his mate and child caused Sev to smile wide at him, one of his rare true smiles, as a rush of love and delight nearly overwhelmed Harry down the bond.

“You did it, love; she’s perfect.”

The words were whispered and rough. It sounded to Harry as though his mate was holding back the same tears of joy that Harry was still unable to prevent, but all he could focus on at that moment was the fact that they had a daughter. Staring down at the tiny miracle in his arms, Harry sniffled a little.

“She? A daughter? We have... we have a daughter.” He paused as she opened her eyes wide and stared right back at him. “Why are her eyes blue?”

“I had the feeling you were not paying attention when they explained this the last time we were here.”

Harry rolled his eyes, a small laugh escaping him. “How could I with your hand on my arse?”

“Ah, language, Potter; there’s an impressionable child in your arms.”

Looking up to meet his mate’s eyes, Harry grinned wide. “You...” He shook his head, exasperation mingling in with the joy as little Lily waved a hand up at him. He pulled Sev into a harsh kiss before smiling properly at him. “You’re so bloody lucky I love you, you git.”

“I know.”

Staring up into the still-silvery eyes of his mate, Harry finally managed to find that one tiny, calm place in his mind where he could completely relax. It tended to only be Sev, Ron and Hermione who could make him feel safe enough to let down the shields he had built during the War and even then it was generally only when he was at home or the Burrow. Tracing his fingers along Sev’s jaw, Harry realised that the place did not actually matter: wherever his mate was would be home for him from now on.

“My family.” Harry grinned at the shock of joy that shot down the bond.

“You are not too disappointed that she is a girl?”

“How could I be? I mean, just look at her: she’s absolutely perfect. I think she’s got your hair.”

“And, thankfully, everything else is yours.” 

Deciding that the air of sentimentality was not how he wanted to spend the first few minutes of his daughter’s life, Harry changed the subject completely. “So they’ll change colour as she gets older?”

“In the next few months.”

“And if they turn black, then she will be more likely to have a Veela Inheritance rather than Wood Elf?”

“That is the theory. Of course, they could turn green. She would then have a much better chance at being a Wood Elf rather than a Veela.”

Harry stared down at the tiny bundle in his arms, smiling as she waved the hand she had worked free at him. There was so much potential in his little girl, so many things that she could be or do... Glancing up at his mate, Harry knew that none of it would have been possible if not for Sev and what he had done for the entire wizarding world. Looking between the two of them, Harry knew that he had chosen the best mate for both him and little Lily; Sev was his perfect match and would be Lily’s perfect Father.

*~*

Whistling as he wandered through his London flat, Lincoln tried to calm his excitement. The news of Harry giving birth had spread through the hospital staff rapidly that afternoon and, having begun to form a friendship with both Harry and Severus over the past three weeks, Lincoln could not have been happier for the both of them. Draco had been right when he had told him that they really were not as scary as the papers tried to make out that they were – Severus in particular – and Lincoln had found it quite easy to start to get to know them both. It was nice having people at Hogwarts he could go and find if Draco was still in class rather than just hanging around his suite of rooms and it seemed to him that Harry was grateful that he did not have to spend all day alone either. In fact, he was particularly fond of telling Lincoln stories of when he and Draco had been in school and what they had done to each other. Of course, the ferret story was Harry’s favourite and it had had Draco scowling and sulking for hours afterwards. He smiled as the memory of what he had done to drag Draco out of that sulk surfaced, piling anticipation at seeing his mate again in on top of the excitement over Severus and Harry’s new baby. He stepped through the floo just before 3, hoping to catch Draco in between classes.

“Dray?” He smiled when he caught sight of a flash of pale blond hair in the rather darker bedroom doorway. “Harry had the baby; a little girl... Draco?”

Stepping closer, Lincoln saw Draco holding what appeared to be a sheet of parchment, his hand shaking a little. His Elf immediately threatened to surface as he made his way across the room to gather his mate into his arms. It turned out that Draco’s hand was not the only part of him shaking: his entire body trembled as Lincoln wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close against his chest.

“Promise me you won’t leave, Link.” The words were barely audible as Draco buried his face into the crook of Lincoln’s neck. “Promise me.”

“You know I’d never leave you, cariad,” Lincoln murmured, confusion as to what had brought on this fit of insecurity washing through him. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Draco shook his head, tightening his grip around Lincoln’s waist to pull them closer together. Searching his mind to try to find something – anything – that could have upset his mate this much, Lincoln came up blank for nearly a full minute. It was the crinkling of the parchment still clenched in Draco’s hand that gave him a bit of a clue. Neither of them had been looking forward to hearing from Catherine about the one-off visit Lincoln needed to make to the Newcastle clan, so maybe that was it. Moving them both so he was leaning back against the doorjamb with Draco held securely against his chest, Lincoln decided to test out the theory.

“Is that from Catherine?”

If at all possible, Draco’s grip seemed to tighten even further. “Don’t leave me, Link.”

Lincoln’s Elf surged forward, almost managing to take him over completely at the sound of the worry in his mate’s voice. “Rwy'n dy garu di, Dray,” Lincoln whispered in Draco’s ear, the Welsh completely deliberate this time, as he knew it would cause Draco to focus on the words rather than his worry. Even so, he stopped at the one phrase he knew Draco would understand. “You’re the only one I want; my one true mate. I’ll never leave you, Dray, I swear.”

It was a little while after that that Draco managed to compose himself enough to pull back far enough to look Lincoln in the eyes. “Love you too, Elfling,” he whispered back. “Catherine sent this unaddressed to my rooms here, so I opened it and...”

“It’s alright, Dray. Take a deep breath; everything will be alright.”

Gulping a great breath of air, Draco seemed to swallow down whatever emotion was trying to smother him. “She wants you there by yourself this time, so she can monitor what happens when Adrian isn’t provoked by my presence.” Draco leant forward so his forehead rested against Lincoln’s. “Please say you won’t go without me.”

The logical part of Lincoln’s mind chose to begin a war with his Elven side right at that moment. He knew that he _had_ to obey a direct summons by the Head of a clan, whether it was the Head of his clan or not. However, with his mate in such a clear state of distress, there was no way his Elven side was going to allow him to just leave. He had to convince Draco that everything was going to be fine – that he was not going to be in any danger – before he left.

“I love you, Dray.”

“No, no, Link, don’t do this.”

“If I go now and get it over with, then it will be over forever. You’ll never have to acknowledge his existence again, I will never have to go back unless it’s to annoy Lucy; we’ll be completely free.” He smiled when Draco let out a groan. “Sounds good, doesn’t it? No more Adrian, no more worry over what might happen when I have to go back. It’ll just be us and whoever _we choose_ to bring into our lives.”

“I know... But I can’t just... I won’t know what’s going on. I can’t stay here not knowing what’s happening while you’re in danger. _Please_.”

Pain shot through Lincoln’s chest at the desperation in Draco’s voice. The problem he was having was that he could totally see Draco’s point: if Draco was going to go off into a dangerous situation, Lincoln would fight to stop him; it was an instinct inherent to his dominant Elven nature. The fact that Draco wanted to protect him sent pleasure shooting through his stomach, but it was not something he could focus on at that moment. He needed to go to the Newcastle clan and he needed to convince Draco to allow him to go alone. There only seemed to be one way to do that, but it really was not something Lincoln wanted to suggest.

“Vinculum, Dray.”

There was silence for a few seconds when Lincoln did not even dare to breathe while Draco apparently considered his options. Lincoln knew Draco was smart enough to know that this was the only way forward for them at this point, but he also knew that he would not give up the idea of going with Lincoln so easily.

“I... Damn it, Link!” Draco pushed back from him and stomped off into the living room, swearing under his breath as he went. “That’s not the same as me being there and you know it.”

“No, but the letter says–”

“I know what the fucking letter says!” Draco spun back around to face him, brandishing the offending piece of parchment at him. “This isn’t fair. I don’t know if it’s because of that connection you have with him, but you’re too trusting. You can’t just go through life hoping that people like Adrian won’t do something shitty to you just because you haven’t done anything to them.”

Moving forward slowly, Lincoln kept eye contact before wrapping Draco in his arms again. “I’m sorry, Dray.”

Draco gave a shaky laugh as he relaxed into the embrace. “And now you’re apologising because I’m being an arse.”

Lincoln bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from apologising again and forced himself to smile instead. “But it’s such a pretty arse.” The quiet laugh he received in response was worth the effort. “So what do you say?”

Draco groaned again, but broke away so he could grab the small bottle of potion. Lincoln used the few seconds between when Draco left and when he returned to try to calm his panicking Elf down; there was no need for Draco to know just how worried about this Lincoln actually was. A few slow, deep breaths later and his heart rate had begun to slow, helped along, of course, by the knowledge that his mate had apparently accepted that this was going to happen. He jumped when he felt Draco gently brushing his fingers through his dreads.

“Sorry I make things so difficult for you, Elfling.”

Lincoln leant into the touch, causing Draco to let out another shaky sounding laugh. The bottle was clutched in Draco’s free hand and Lincoln’s gaze fell to it immediately. This was not what he had expected to be using the remaining potion for, but if it kept his mate happy, then he would not complain. He watched as Draco downed half the potion, then handed it over. The pleasant taste of limes touched Lincoln’s tongue as he swallowed down the rest of the small bottle. It took a much shorter amount of time to take effect this time and Lincoln drew Draco into a soft kiss as he was flooded with emotions not his own.

“You make my life better, Dray, not more difficult.” The rush of love and affection down the temporary bond overwhelmed the worry and fear he was getting for a few seconds, causing Lincoln to smile.

“Two hours,” Draco whispered as he nipped at Lincoln’s bottom lip. “I’ll be paying more attention to you than my class.”

“I’ll try to make it back before it wears off.”

The sounds of students entering the classroom beyond the door interrupted them then and Lincoln left through the floo, not wanting to waste a minute of time with the potion. For the next hour and a half, it seemed as though Lincoln had been completely right about their not needing to worry about Adrian and what he was going to do. Both Catherine and Gerard had met him as he stepped out of the floo in the prison of the Newcastle clan and they had waited for another few minutes for Gwen to arrive as well. Catherine’s reasoning was that Adrian had home turf advantage when it came to this meeting, so Lincoln deserved to have someone there to support him, as Catherine and Gerard both had to be neutral in this. Adrian had sulked and answered sullenly whenever asked a question. He had not even glanced in Lincoln’s direction in the entire hour and a half he was down there in the isolation cell. It had begun to seem like a complete waste of potion when Catherine and Gerard finished testing the charms on both the necklace Lincoln wore and the ring they had enchanted for Adrian. That is, right up until they were preparing to leave.

“Link?”

“Hmm?”

Lincoln spun around at the sound of his name being called from behind him just before he left the prison room. Adrian was standing at the bars of the cell, motioning to him to come closer. Nerves shivered through him, but he saw no way Adrian could physically harm him, so he indicated to Gwen he would be out soon before turning to stand a few paces from the cell bars.

“You love your half-breed.” It was a statement, not a question.

“ _I’m_ the half-breed, Adrian. Draco’s more like one-eighth Veela, I think; it may even be further back in his family than that. But, yes, I do love him.” He could feel Draco paying close attention to what was going on and sent a concentrated feeling of thanks down the bond towards him. He had to resist smiling when Draco sent a wave of affection back to him. “Why?”

“He loves you too.”

Lincoln frowned, a thread of worry starting in the back of his mind causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand. “Yes...”

“Come on, Link,” Gwen called from just outside the door, startling Lincoln into turning back towards her.

“You’d want to hope he loves you enough.”

“What?” Lincoln spun back to Adrian again, his heart rate increasing at the low growl Adrian’s voice had turned into. “What do you mean?”

“Lincoln Northam! Get your arse out here, right now!”

“I reject you.”

Lincoln doubled over as pain lanced straight through him. This was unlike anything he had ever felt before: it felt as though there was fire rushing through his veins. A whooshing sound entered his ears, blocking out everything else and Lincoln knew that he was in major trouble. Besides the pain, there was only one thing he found he could focus on: the emotions pelting him down the bond. Draco knew something bad had happened and he was in full panic mode. Lincoln let out a pained groan when he felt someone touch his arm.

“Link? No, no...”

He could hear tears in his sister’s voice, but there was nothing he could do for her right now. “Draco... Get Draco.”

He apparated away before anyone else could stop him. There was only one person who could have any chance at saving him now and he hoped desperately that he would make it home in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welsh translation: 'I love you.'
> 
> Also: apologies to all those who didn't see this one coming! Don't worry, I haven't changed the ending. This is just what I've been building up to for the past 50 chapters :D


	51. Chapter 51

Sitting in his chair at the front of his classroom, Draco frowned when he felt the emotions coming down the temporary bond change from the intense feeling of thanks Link had shot him to a creeping worry. He had not felt anything other than boredom and the occasional rush of appreciation directed at him from the bond since Link had left, so he knew something unusual had happened. Closing his eyes, he focussed entirely on what he was receiving down the bond, completely ignoring the class in front of him. It did not take long before the emotions changed again, this time to panic, regret and an almost painful sense of desperation. Draco shot up out of the chair, yelling that class was dismissed as he sprinted down the aisle and out of the room. His pulse pounded in his ears almost in time to his footsteps as he raced through the castle towards McGonagall’s office. He would floo straight to Link’s flat in London from there, hoping that Link would have the sense to go home. Focussed on Link as he was, he missed the sound of footsteps approaching him at the same pace he was travelling. He rounded a corner and crashed into someone who gripped his robes, yelling something.

“No, let me go; I’ve got to get to him!” He struggled, trying to throw the person off him.

“Draco!”

He blinked at the sound of the familiar female voice. Gwen’s tear-stained face swam into view just as Draco was grabbed firmly from behind by another set of hands.

“Come on, you’ve got to get outside the anti-Apparition field,” a male voice with a Welsh accent growled from behind him. “Move it!”

Draco stumbled as the hands dragged him back around the corner he had run around and began to jog him down the corridor. Shaking the hands off, Draco fully intended to ignore the man and rush back towards McGonagall’s office, but Gwen stopped him.

“He’s closed the floo and put up wards strong enough to keep both me and Gerard out. We need you to try Apparating into the flat. Failing that, we’ll bombard his wards until they break and smash the door open.” Her voice was rough and Draco would have felt a rush of sympathy for her if he had not been so concerned for Link.

“Adrian rejected him.”

Neither of them responded, telling Draco that that was exactly what had happened. Following their lead, he kept his mouth shut until they reached the edge of the wards. He was about to Apparate away when Gerard grabbed his hand.

“You know this might not work, right? That this may be the last time you see him?”

Swallowing hard against the large lump forming in his throat, Draco nodded. “I’ll send word as soon as I can.”

Link’s wards burned against Draco’s skin as he landed in front of the fireplace in the flat, feeling as though they had been placed by a faulty wand. The dual crack of Apparition sounded outside the windows and Draco flicked his wand towards them, sending sparks to tell Gwen and Gerard he had made it in safely. He then forgot about them completely as he felt the potion beginning to fade. Or at least, that was what he told himself it was. Running across the room, he flung the door to the bedroom open, his chest contracting at the sight that greeted him: Link was curled on Draco’s side of the bed, completely unmoving.

“No, no, Link. You’re not allowed to die on me, come on,” Draco murmured as he fell to his knees by the side of the bed. Brushing Link’s hair gently from his face, Draco could feel the lump in his throat threatening to spill over into hysterical tears at any second: Link was incredibly pale beneath his tan and it was difficult to tell if his chest was moving due to his position. “You can’t die yet; you promised me forever.”

“I’ll time it better next time.”

Draco’s breath rushed out of him at the barely audible words and he sagged against the edge of the bed, his strength giving out as relief flooded his veins. “Oh thank Merlin.” He lifted his head from the bed when he felt Link’s hand land in his hair, holding tight to a handful. “I knew you were too stubborn to give up on me just yet.”

“Trust you to insult a dying man, Dray.”

“No, you’re _not_ dying,” Draco told him firmly as he knelt again and moved so he could cup the side of Link’s face and brush their lips together. Something stirred at the back of Draco’s mind the second he made skin-to-skin contact with his mate, but he ignored it for the time being. “You’re going to be around for a long time to come. Once we’re married we’re going to build that house in the clan near the pond so you can annoy the hell out of your sisters every day if you want. We’ll keep this place as well, because I just know you’ll drive Gwen to the brink of her limited sanity...”

Draco blinked his eyes rapidly as the lump in his throat dissolved into hot tears that splashed down his face. His chest had never ached like this before: it was like a giant hole had opened up right in the middle and the words that were spilling out of him were the only things keeping him going. He would have continued, but a soft intake of breath from Link silenced him immediately.

“Dray–” The hesitation in Link’s voice sent pure panic straight through Draco.

“Please don’t leave me, Link.” The thing at the back of Draco’s mind seemed to pulse and he automatically rubbed his free hand along the nape of his neck in an attempt to soothe whatever it was. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and I can’t deal with losing you.”

He knew just how desperate he sounded, begging Link to stay with him – to not give up on them just yet – but there was nothing he could do about it. He had planned the rest of his life around having Link with him and to lose him now, just when it looked as though they had rid themselves of Adrian forever... It was more than Draco could endure.

“ _Please_ , Elfling.”

The endearment brought a small smile to Link’s face and it was one of the most beautiful things Draco had ever seen. It sent a shot of hope through his chest that maybe they would be alright. All he had to do was convince Link to give him a chance to prove that theory. Leaning in so he could capture Link’s lips in a proper kiss, Draco smiled when he heard Link sigh softly into the kiss.

“I love you, cariad.”

Draco thought Link’s voice sounded a little stronger than when he had first entered the room, but he knew that could just be wishful thinking. The thing in the back of Draco’s mind pulsed again – stronger this time – and he shook his head, annoyed that something was distracting him from his mate at a time like this.

“You can feel the Call?” Link’s voice was uncertain and Draco frowned, unsure of what he was talking about.

“‘Call’?”

A small crease formed in between Link’s eyebrows, giving off the impression that he was concentrating incredibly hard. The annoying feeling that had been distracting Draco felt as though it jumped in the back of his mind in that second and he gasped, clenching his free hand into the bed sheet.

“That... That’s you? I’m feeling you Calling to me?” Draco’s eyes drifted off to the side, widening as he took in the implications of that discovery. “I can... _We_ can...”

“Seal the bond.”

Draco looked back to Link and immediately became lost in the glowing deep blue of his eyes. Hardly daring to breathe, he focussed carefully on the sensation, feeling it getting stronger with each second. It almost overwhelmed him before he felt something click in the back of his mind. He was flooded with the strongest, purest sense of love he could imagine the second he began to work with the sensation rather than just allowing it to take him over completely. Since he had no creature instincts to go off, he was unsure exactly what he was supposed to be doing, but it seemed Link had it all under control. Clenching the hand in Draco’s hair, he guided him up onto the bed to lie down on top of him. Draco hesitated before allowing his weight to settle completely on Link, but he found Link gave him no other choice: wrapping both arms around Draco’s waist and shoulders, he pulled him down and held him securely against his chest. Remembering that contact was an essential part of any creature bonding, Draco wriggled until he could reach his wand and Vanish their clothing before placing both his wand and Link’s on the bedside. He smiled when Link shivered beneath him.

“The potion’s worn off.”

Draco grinned wide enough that it felt as though his face would crack in two at the certainty in Link’s voice. “And I can still sense you.”

The hand Link had wrapped around Draco’s waist slid down so he could rub small circles with his thumb on Draco’s hip. “I am so sorry, Dray.” Link’s eyes closed, finally breaking the trance they had held Draco under and he felt a rush of remorse so strong his own chest ached in sympathy. “There’s no explanation I can offer that’ll excuse me not listening to you.”

“I love you, Link.” Draco grinned again when Link’s eyes snapped open again. “If you’d listened to me, we probably never would have been able to seal this bond.”

Desire flared down the bond, almost as though Draco mentioning sealing it had reminded Link of what they were about to do. Rolling so he pinned Draco to the bed, Link brought their lips together in a kiss that held more passion than Draco thought he had ever experienced before. Whether it was because he could feel the desire building up in Link as he explored his mouth, or the fact that they now had a proper connection, Draco had no idea, but he found he could not spare any energy to consider it. Raising his knees so he could hook his ankles together behind Link’s back earned him a deep groan and he jerked his hips in response, hoping Link would take the hint. Link gave a low chuckle as he broke the kiss.

“I want you now.” Watching Link move told Draco that he was still in pain, but he grabbed the lube from the bedside easily enough, so Draco figured it must have eased a bit. Frowning as he realised that if simply reaching for something was hurting his mate, then this was going to prove a little difficult, Draco wriggled. “Do you want to–”

His words were cut when Link slid a slick finger inside him. “The day I can’t manage to satisfy you – no matter how sore I am – feel free to take me out to the country and shoot me.”

Draco grinned at the very Muggle-sounding expression and drew Link back into the kiss. The slide of his tongue along Link’s teeth combined with the gentle rocking motion of Link’s hips against him sent Draco’s mind spinning. He wriggled again, enjoying the friction it caused against his hard cock. Without even thinking about it, he dragged his fingernails along Link’s back, which arched into him in response. Needing to feel more of the sharp jabs of pleasure down the bond, Draco ran the fingers of one hand along the shell of Link’s pointed ear. The first time he had tried this – when they had first used the Vinculum – the lust that had assaulted him had almost completely overwhelmed him. This time was no less intense, but Draco was prepared for it. He was unable to stop moving beneath Link and the pleasure that assaulted him down the bond made his situation worse. Even second-hand it had him moaning and twitching against Link’s stomach. He almost jumped in surprise when he felt Link slide a third finger into him; he had been too focussed on making sure Link was enjoying himself as much as he was to realise that he had already been stretched so far.

“Link,” he gasped, his neck arching to expose his throat to his mate’s teeth. “Please... I need you now.”

Link was silent for a few seconds, nibbling his way down Draco’s throat instead of responding. Draco knew he must have heard him, as there had been a sharp jab of desire down the bond at his words, so he simply let him have his fun. Not that he would ever object to having the skin of his throat sucked on...

“Cariad...” Draco smiled when Link shook his head, obviously realising that that had not been in English. “I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, but I need you to trust me, alright?”

“Of course I trust you, Elfling. You’ve been my mate for months now; this just makes it official.”

The look of pure happiness that spread across Link’s face at Draco’s words was echoed down the bond and Draco drew him into another kiss. The feeling of emptiness he got when Link’s fingers left him did not last for long, as Link immediately moved to begin pushing into him. It was a strange sensation, as Draco knew that this time it was different to every other time they had been together. So much rode on this one time and he could not help the slight feeling of apprehension that trickled down his spine. Breaking the kiss, Draco tried to speak, but found himself prevented by a magical force so strong he did not even consider fighting it. His eyes flew open and panic shot through him, but the second he saw the reassurance in Link’s eyes, he knew everything was going to be alright. Link ran a finger down the side of Draco’s face before re-closing his eyes and seeming to concentrate hard. It took a few seconds before anything happened, but it was worth the wait: a bright green wave of magic began to spread out around the two of them, giving Draco the sense of _Lincoln_ as well as the same kind of earthy tones that he had always been able to smell on his mate. Draco drew in a deep breath when Link opened his eyes again and began to recite a phrase in Latin.

“Haud dubia spe.  
Aeternus amoris.  
Simul in aeternum.  
Semper fidelis.”

The bright green of the bonding magic grew darker with each whispered phrase and Draco could feel the magic joining them together tighter and tighter. The sensation was one of the most powerful things he had ever experienced, but he could not bring himself to look away from the glowing eyes of his mate. The magic swirling around them turned a green so dark it was almost black once Link fell silent again. It seemed to float through the air around them for a few seconds before settling onto a point in the middle of both their chests. It was then that Draco felt the bonding magic join them properly: it felt as though a small piece of Link had settled inside him. His breath shuddered as he reached to run his thumb along Link’s cheekbone.

“Link?”

“ _Mate_ ,” Link responded, his voice low and rough even in that one small word.

Before Draco could react to what Link had said in any way, Link leant down and brought their lips together. Moving with his mate, Draco moaned softly as Link began to thrust quickly into him. The double sensation of joy and pleasure echoing down the bond was helping to build the desire in Draco’s chest rapidly. Tilting his hips, he managed to get Link to hit just the right angle so he brushed against Draco’s prostate.

“ _Fuck_ , Link, I – I...” Draco trailed off as Link hit his prostate again, this time apparently quite deliberately. His mouth opened and closed on a few moans and hitches of his breath before he could manage to speak again. Placing both hands on the sides of his mate’s face, he forced Link to look him in the eyes. “I love you.” The flare of desire both down the bond and in Link’s eyes absolutely took Draco’s breath away.

“Rwy'n dy garu di,” Link gasped back, his use of Welsh instead of English telling Draco he was rapidly losing control. “Dray... Cariad...”

Draco groaned when Link leant down to bite gently on the scarred claiming mark he had left on New Year’s Eve. It was not long after that that Draco himself completely lost control, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he reached his release. It appeared as though that was all Link was waiting for, as he let go the second Draco began to come. The sensation of being able to feel Link’s orgasm seemed to make Draco’s pleasure last just that little bit longer and he clung to his mate, his nails digging into Link’s shoulders. That physical connection to the real world was the one thing that was keeping him grounded as his mind floated through a sea of bliss. He was only just barely aware of Link slipping out of him and cleaning them both up before he drifted off into a peaceful sleep, secure in the knowledge that his mate was safe.

*~*

“Link...”

Lincoln smiled as Draco squirmed next to him. Running his fingers along the length of his mate’s spine earned him a delightful shiver and a shot of heat down the bond and he chuckled in response.

“You need to go to sleep.”

“Why?”

“Because you can’t subsist solely on sex.”

“Watch me.”

Draco groaned. “Your parents are going to kill me.”

Laughing properly in response, Lincoln lay down again next to Draco rather than on top of him like he wanted. Having woken a few minutes earlier to see that it was still dark outside, he had sent a quick note through the floo to his parents, then locked it again. The usual practice of a newly bonded couple spending the first few days after the bonding alone would not happen for him and Draco, but he was determined to have these few hours alone, at least. He trailed his fingers through the soft hair at the nape of Draco’s neck, slowly massaging the muscles there until Draco turned to face him. He could only just make out the grey of his eyes in the pale light filtering in through a crack in the curtains, but his stomach fluttered anyway. Draco’s smile told Lincoln he had felt whatever emotion had prompted the fluttering and it sent a jolt of the purest joy through him he had ever felt. Draco was his mate now in reality as much as in feeling; something Lincoln had practically given up hope of ever happening. Brushing his fingers down the side of Draco’s face, he smiled.

“You saved my life, Dray.”

A rush of completely jumbled emotion hit him down the bond and he grinned just before Draco pulled him into a kiss. Sliding closer to his mate, Lincoln winced a little when his right hip gave a twinge.

“We’re getting that checked out the second we get to the clan.” The determination in Draco’s voice told Lincoln there was no objecting even if he had wanted to. “I’ll also have to owl my parents and McGonagall and possibly Severus... But we’re getting you Healed first.”

Lincoln grinned as he settled properly on top of his mate. “I love you, Dray.”

The joy that spread across his mate’s face was echoed down the bond as Draco grinned back at him. “Do you think...I mean, is it possible we could, you know, have kids?”

The nerves and apprehension that hit him down the bond had Lincoln moving to reassure his mate almost before he had even finished speaking. “We’ll have as many as you want. If you want a full Quidditch team, then that’s what you’ll get. I wasn’t sure if it was even possible for us to bond at all and look what happened there, so maybe we could ourselves...” He glanced away, frowning a little as he considered the question. “Since you have enough Veela blood to form a bond, you should have enough to get pregnant.”

A strange noise from Draco brought Lincoln’s attention straight back to him. He was staring up at Lincoln with what appeared to be distaste and it took him aback a little before he realised what Draco was staring at. He shivered as Draco’s hands went around his neck, unclipping the enchanted necklace that held Adrian’s magical signature.

“Would I get into trouble if I burned this?” His top lip curled as he held it at arm’s length. “And would it hurt _him_?”

Huffing out a small laugh, Lincoln leant down to capture Draco’s lips in a soft kiss. “Wait until you’re outside the flat before setting any fires, please.” Draco’s grin sent warmth through Lincoln’s stomach. “And I have no idea if he even survived the rejection himself. I don’t ever remember hearing about anyone who got rejected; it’s not a very common thing in the Wood Elf culture because of the pain associated with it. I don’t know if he’s still alive because any connection we had was severed the second he rejected me. And the second that happened, my only thoughts were of you.”

“I love you, Link.”

The sentiment was echoed down the bond so strongly Lincoln’s breath was stolen away. He let himself be drawn into another kiss, this one slightly more heated than the last. The fact that he could now permanently sense what Draco was feeling was the most amazing sensation Lincoln could imagine; however, he also found himself incredibly thankful that he had managed to find someone skilled enough to be able to brew the Vinculum. If he had not, then who knew how long it would have taken Draco to get to him that afternoon? Maybe those few extra minutes would have been the difference between Lincoln surviving or not. Yes, Draco had definitely saved his life that afternoon and he was going to spend the rest of his life making damn sure he was worthy of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Latin translation:  
> No doubt  
> Eternal love  
> Together forever  
> Always faithful


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter marks one year exactly since I began posting this fic. Technically it is the end of the main part, although I do have two weddings and an epilogue planned. :)

The smell of breakfast wafting through the flat woke Lincoln the next morning. He smiled when the implication hit him: Draco never cooked unless it was a special occasion. Lincoln had been treated to an old Black family recipe for eggs Benedict on both his birthday and Christmas morning that Narcissa had apparently taught her son. It was the one and only thing Draco knew how to cook, due to the fact that he had grown up in a household with house-elves, but Lincoln could see why it was reserved for special occasions: it was the most delicious thing to wake up to he had ever tasted.

Deciding to not wait for his mate to come to him, he sat up, but winced when a sharp pain lanced through his right-hand side from his ribs to the top of his thigh. He flexed the muscles, testing to see if it was just muscle pain or something worse, but was interrupted when the door to the bedroom was flung open. He looked up just in time to have Draco land on the bed beside him and draw him into a soft kiss. Forgetting all about the pain in his side as joy and desire hit him down the newly-formed bond, Lincoln sighed in pleasure into the kiss, smiling when Draco’s hand moved to brush along the shell of his ear.

“My Elfling,” Draco whispered when they broke apart. “How are you?”

The concern that flooded down the bond had Lincoln smiling a little again despite the question bringing him back to reality. “Much better than I was, thanks to you.”

“Not in desperate need of a Healer then? I’ve kind of been putting both your parents and mine off for the past hour, telling them to let you sleep. But we can go straight to the clan Healer now if that’s what you need. He’s apparently waiting at your parent’s place.”

The worry Lincoln could feel down the bond was echoed in Draco’s face and he could not help drawing him into another quick kiss. “I love you, cariad.”

Draco hummed happily in response, widening Lincoln’s smile. He sat up properly and stretched his muscles, his years of training telling him that if it was anything more than muscle pain, it would feel different. The pain of a proper injury was much deeper than that of a muscle injury and he knew that if he focussed carefully enough, he would be able tell the difference. Both the muscles on his ribcage and thigh twinged, but that was it. He let out a breath he had not realised he had been holding and turned to face Draco with a small smile.

“That’s a good smile, right?”

A wave of nerves hit Lincoln down the bond that was so strong he broke out in goosebumps, despite the fact that Draco’s tone was light and he was obviously trying to not sound like he was too worried. Moving carefully, he gathered Draco to his chest and laid them both down on top of the bedcovers. The chill February air sent a shiver through him and he automatically reached for his wand, casting a charm to keep the air around them warm. A very non-magical warmth spread through him when Draco chuckled.

“That answers my next question.”

Tossing his wand back onto the bedside table, Lincoln rolled so that Draco was lying on top of him. He moved to brush Draco’s fringe out of his eyes so he could see his eyes properly. They had a slightly confused glint to them, but Lincoln knew that what he was about to say was something Draco needed to hear, due to the level of nerves that he was still being assaulted with. Holding his mate’s gaze was the one way Lincoln knew to make certain Draco heard everything he was going to say, so he made sure he was watching him intently before he spoke.

“You know that no matter what happens in the future, you are my main priority, right? That making absolutely certain that you are safe and happy and satisfied will take precedence over everything else? Even if there are times when I’m unable to express it, _you_ are the most important person in my life and you should never doubt that, alright?” He waited until Draco nodded silently before continuing. “That being said, yes, I’m perfectly fine. This is nothing a trip to the clan Healer won’t fix.”

A wave of relief from his mate hit Lincoln just as Draco’s arms gave way, allowing him to collapse in a boneless puddle on top of him. “As sweet as that was, if you ever scare me like that again, you’ll regret it, ok?”

Lincoln laughed, feeling slightly lightheaded with the second-hand relief flooding through him. “Scared I was going to be taking certain _aspects_ of this relationship away from you now we’re bonded?”

Draco pushed himself up onto his elbows, giving Lincoln a look at the serious look on his face. “I absolutely _hate_ the idea of having you taken away from me in any context. One of the reasons I fell for you was because of how well we go together; the brilliant sex was an added bonus. Take one of those factors away and it won’t change a single thing because I love _you_ as a whole, not just for one reason in particular. I meant what I said last night: you’ve been my mate for months now. The fact that we managed to seal the bond only makes it official in other people’s eyes because it’s been official for me since September.”

Lincoln closed his eyes as his chest ached with a mix of emotions he could not sort through. His Elven side was rejoicing, sending sharp jolts of pleasure straight through him at this confirmation of his mate’s feelings for him. He had known, of course, that Draco considered him his mate, but actually hearing it like this the day after they had sealed the bond was the icing on the cake for him. It had taken ten and a half years since he had come into his Inheritance, but he had found his perfect match. The past few months had been hell on the both of them, but staring into his mate’s eyes, Lincoln knew that they were starting anew. It was a fresh beginning for them both and they were doing it together.

*~*

Sitting in his hospital bed, Harry watched as one half of the group who had come to meet Lily exclaimed over her. It was amazing to him that so many people had descended on their hospital room at once simply because of this tiny child, but it was also one of the most wonderful feelings in the world. Knowing that Lily would never have to worry about anything due to how much this group of people already loved her was sending jolts of pure joy straight through him.

Hermione looked particularly taken with her and Ron, in turn, looked slightly panicky. The twins had, of course, noticed that Ron looked a little green and had not let up teasing him about contraception when they thought Hermione was not in easy hearing distance. Unfortunately for them, Harry had watched Hermione watching them teasing Ron and he knew that they were in for it when she got them alone next if the look in her eyes was anything to go by. Despite the bone-deep exhaustion that ran through him, Harry found it all quite amusing. Glancing over to where Sev stood with the other half of the group who had showed up that morning, Harry grinned when he caught his mate’s eye.

The low level of boredom that he was receiving down the bond amused him as well, because he could hear snatches of the conversation that was boring his mate to tears. Molly and Catherine had apparently taken it on themselves to offer Sev some parenting advice; advice that Harry was certain would never be followed by either of them. He knew that neither of them had had the kind of upbringing that they would want to emulate with their kids, but he also knew that neither of them were likely to want to try to copy someone else’s way of doing things. They would muddle along doing things their own way and just hope that it would all come out for the best. And no matter what anyone else said, Harry just knew that Sev was going to be a brilliant father.

“Harry?”

He jumped at the quiet sound of Lucy’s voice: he had thought she was over with the other group. “Yeah?”

“I saw Link last night and he mentioned the two of you have met?”

There was a strange tone to Lucy’s voice that sent worry through Harry’s stomach, causing him to frown. “Yeah, Draco introduced us a few weeks back. Link apparently wanted to apologise for what Adrian’s done. Why?”

“Draco? His mate’s a _Malfoy_? No wonder he didn’t want to tell me...” Lucy trailed off, her eyes unfocussed for a few seconds before she shook herself and turned back to him. “That’s not what I was about to say, sorry. I – um – Link came back to the Newcastle clan last night because we had to run some tests on the necklace mum and the Cardiff clan’s Head had given him to stop him from sensing Adrian. Everything was going quite well until right at the end of the meeting. Adrian was behaving himself and everything, but he called Link back to him just as we were all leaving. Look, I don’t know how well you know this mate of Link’s, or even if you know about this already, but something happened; something bad.”

A lump of worry settled deep in Harry’s stomach. What had Adrian done this time? Had he injured one of them last night? And what did Draco have to do with all of this?

“What happened?”

Lucy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Adrian rejected Link last night.”

Her voice was soft, but Harry had no problem hearing her clearly. He could feel the blood draining from his face as the implications of being rejected occurred to him. He knew it was likely that Link was in major trouble, if he was even still alive at this point. The reason for Lucy mentioning Draco also became clear right at that second: he would be affected by whatever Link was going through as well. He held a hand up to his mate to prevent him from coming over to them, needing to get this over and done with.

“Did he survive it?”

“Well, mum’s been in touch with the mate – Draco – this morning and he’s refusing to let anyone near either of them at this point. All he’s said is that they’ve managed to seal their bond and that they’re both as well as can be expected. I would assume that they’re going to go to the clan Healer in Cardiff as soon as they can because he’s the one who’ll know best what Link needs at this point. I just thought you should know what’s going on, since you know Draco.”

“Thanks.” She was just turning back when another question occurred to Harry. “Lucy? What happened to Adrian?”

She sighed, running a hand through her hair, a strange combination of reluctance and shame crossing her face. “Well, he spent last night in a lot of pain. Rejecting your mate tends to go one of two ways: either the one who did the rejecting is perfectly fine and can live a normal life, or their health slowly declines until they can’t hold on any longer. There’s no telling which way Adrian will go at this point, but I’m fairly certain he thought he’d be in that first group. I don’t think he thought it would affect him the way he knew it would affect Link. In fact, I think he hoped that Link wouldn’t survive it: there’s really no other explanation for him rejecting him at this point. Adrian knew it was most likely the last time he would ever see Link again, so he took the opportunity. We’ve got him locked up in solitary still because the rejection doesn’t change his original sentence. The only person he’s allowed to see at this stage is the Healer and if he survives it, then that will change to whoever it is who brings him his food three times a day.” She shook her head as she shifted her weight. “I just don’t understand him anymore. He was so nice – at least to me – right up until he claimed Link. Sure he was a bit of a bitch when he didn’t like someone, but I thought that would change as he got older. Maybe... I don’t know... Maybe it was discovering that his Elf had chosen Link was what pushed him over the edge. They’ve never really gotten along so knowing that he was stuck with someone he didn’t like was what finally caused him to snap completely.”

A wave of sympathy for her nearly overwhelmed Harry as he watched her struggle with trying to come to terms with the fact that someone who had once been her friend had turned out like this. “It’s not your fault, you know. There’s nothing anyone could have done to prevent this from happening.” Harry had no idea where the words were coming from, but they seemed to be the right ones as she smiled at him. “Look, I of all people know what it feels like to blame yourself for things that were out of your control. You can’t let it get to you or it’ll wind up being the only thing you think about. It sounds like it turned out for the best anyway: Link and Draco have sealed their bond. That was something that was never going to happen unless something happened to Link’s bond with Adrian. He’s really done them a bit of a favour if you think about it.”

Lucy grinned at him, shaking her head, although he thought it was more in amusement than anything else this time. “Do _me_ a favour, alright? Never lose that optimism.”

Harry smiled as she moved back over to where Hermione was standing with Lily. Looking around the room at all the people he loved most in the world, he thought that it was unlikely that he would lose his optimism any time soon. Not with the amount of inspiration he was surrounded with each day.

*~*

“Is this really necessary?”

Draco grinned at the reluctance in his mate’s voice. It had taken them a full hour to move from the living room of Link’s parent’s house to the bedroom that the two of them had shared each time they had stayed there. He had known that they would be overwhelmed by Link’s family the second he had Apparated them into the house and they had not disappointed him. He had refused to allow Link to be the one who took them both to the clan, mostly because he was unsure if Link was truly as alright as he kept insisting he was. There was no way Draco was going to allow his mate to exhaust himself at this point, not after what he had survived the night before, so he had also stuck close to Link’s right-hand side. He knew that Link thought the pain he was in was purely muscle pain, but Draco was unwilling to take the chance that he was wrong; if anything went wrong, then he was going to be right there.

“You know it is,” he responded with a smile.

“Listen to your mate, Lincoln.” Draco nearly jumped as the sound of the elderly Healer’s voice came from behind him. “He clearly knows what it is you need, even if you do not.”

Draco’s smile widened as Link rolled his eyes. He sat down at the head of the bed Link had settled on top of under the Healer’s orders and waited for the Healer to start the examination. Unable to resist, he drew one of Link’s dreads through his fingers, enjoying the warm feeling of contentment that washed down the bond to him. Draco knew just how incredibly lucky they were that Link had come out of the rejection with only what appeared to be muscle pain and he was finding it difficult to keep his hands off his mate. The urge to be close to him – to touch him – was stronger now than it had ever been before and he was fairly certain it was because he knew he had nearly lost him the night before. Although, it seemed that Link was feeling the same kind of pull, as he reached up to grasp Draco’s hand as the Healer stood beside the bed to begin the examination.

Watching intently as the Healer waved his wand over Link’s prone form, Draco could not help holding his breath. If this came out worse than what they were both hoping, he was unsure how he would react. He knew that with his years of experience with Healing, Link should know the difference between simple muscle pain and something worse than that, but he could not suppress the idea that he was about to hear some incredibly bad news. Once the Healer had completed the sweep, he cast what looked to be some form of Healing charms over Link’s right-hand side, frowning as he switched the charms. Draco tightened his grip on Link’s hand when the Healer moved away from the bed towards the bag he had carried into the bedroom with him.

“It’s ok, cariad.”

The reassurance in Link’s voice was echoed down the bond as Draco met his eyes. Unable to resist, he leant in to place a soft kiss on his mate’s lips, enjoying the sensation of feeling just how much Link wanted him.

“Ahem.”

Draco pulled back guiltily and scowled when Link laughed. Fighting back the blush that was threatening, he glanced up to where the Healer stood beside the bed, eyeing them with a disapproving look.

“I am unsure quite how you have managed it, but many of the muscles in your right-hand side and hip have begun to deteriorate. Sometimes strange things happen when someone with a creature Inheritance is rejected: if your body had started to give up, then that could explain it. It is a good thing your mate was able to get to you so soon. If he had not, then this damage would have been permanent had you survived.” Draco squeezed Link’s hand when he felt a rush of nerves down the bond. Moving his thumb so he could trace small patterns across the back of Link’s hand earned him a shot of affection down the bond instead of the nerves for a few seconds and he smiled. “You are also quite magically depleted, but that is to be expected in one who has gone through what you have over the past 24 hours. You mentioned having to break through his wards?”

This last was obviously directed at Draco, who nodded as fear shot through him. Had he done some kind of damage by Apparating in through the wards? The Healer moved back over to his bag and began rummaging.

“You are to take this once a day and this twice a day. I will know if you have not been taking them as well, because your mate here is going to report back to me, aren’t you?” Draco nodded silently again when pinned with the elderly Healer’s glare, earning himself a roll of Link’s eyes. “Good boy. Now, there is something I need to speak to you about as well.”

Link froze after sitting up and Draco could feel fear rushing down the bond as the Healer circled around the bed to face him instead of Link. He tightened his grip on the hand he still held, focussing on sending a wave of reassurance to his mate in an attempt to calm him a little.

“Can you still sense Lincoln?”

Draco frowned. “Of course I can; we sealed the bond. That should be it, right?”

“My dear boy.” The Healer shook his head and shot him an almost parental look. “The reason you can still sense him is because of the traumatic way in which your bond was sealed. Just as Lincoln’s Elf will recede in the next few days or weeks as it realises you are here to stay, your sense of him will fade as well. What you have is a half-sealed bond. Lincoln is the one who had the connection, so he will be able to sense you completely from now on. However, since you did not have the same connection, your sense of him will fade until you can only feel his strongest emotions.”

“No.” Draco shook his head, denying the idea as Link slipped his arm around his waist. “No, there has to be something we can do; something to stop it, or to give me the ability to form a proper bond.”

“The bonding ceremony should still work, shouldn’t it?” Link’s quiet question pulled Draco’s attention to him completely.

“‘Bonding ceremony’? What do you mean? Wasn’t last night...?”

Draco scowled as the Healer chuckled. He liked the elderly man less and less each time he opened his mouth.

“He is speaking of the formal ceremony in front of your family and friends. It is usually used as a marriage ceremony only because most couples we marry here in the clan are both Wood Elves. However, it was originally intended to give a non-Elven partner the emotional connection of a full bond with their partner. Lincoln’s parents went through it when they married, which is why he knows of it, correct?” Draco turned to see Link nodding, his eyes fixed on the Healer. “Very good, then you will not need me to explain the entire ceremony to you. Suffice to say that when you decide to marry, there will be a part at the end of the ceremony where a close friend or relative of Lincoln’s will perform a bonding spell. It will give you the ability to sense Lincoln permanently, just as he can with you right now. It will be as though you had had the connection from the beginning and it is just as stable as a full, naturally-formed bond.”

Draco heard Link chuckle as he relaxed back into his embrace. The arm around his waist tightened so Link could hold him properly and he smiled.

“There is one other thing,” the Healer continued, causing Draco’s nerves to jump again. “Have you been using contraception?”

Draco blinked at him. “Ex _cuse_ me?”

“Have you been using contraception? You must know that the bonding magic is exceptionally strong since you yourself have enough creature blood to form a bond. These kinds of bondings usually result in an unplanned pregnancy if there was no contraception used.”

“I – uh – we thought I couldn’t...” He trailed off, turning to glance at Link when all he received down the bond felt like the emotional equivalent of white noise. “We didn’t think I had enough creature blood to conceive.”

“Of course you do, you silly boy! If you can bond, then you can conceive. Lincoln would not have had the presence of mind to cast the charm, so if you didn’t either, then you should be on the lookout for symptoms over the next few weeks.” With that the Healer turned towards the door, pausing just before he exited. “I would warn you both against any kind of strenuous activity over the next few days, but I know that that would be incredibly foolhardy of me. The potions are extra strength so they may knock you out for a little while.”

“Draco?” Link’s voice was soft and cautious as he moved to sit directly in front of Draco on the bed as soon as the Healer left the room. “You alright?”

Staring into the glowing eyes of his mate, Draco struggled to make sense of what he had just been told. It was possible for him to become pregnant. In fact, he could very well be pregnant _right now_. Breaking eye contact, Draco stared down at his flat stomach, imagining it swelling with their child. The idea sent a jolt of joy through the numbness he was currently held by.

“Dray?” Link’s voice broke through his shock, bringing with it a mix of nerves and excitement.

“I could be pregnant.”

“Yes, Dray.” He could hear the caution in Link’s voice as well as feel it down the bond, but it was being swiftly overwhelmed by a happiness that Link was obviously struggling to contain. “Does that worry you at all? I mean, I know we didn’t plan on anything like this, but I got the feeling you wanted...”

He trailed off into silence as another wave of nerves washed down the bond. It was the uncertainty in his mate’s eyes that finally jerked Draco out of his almost-stupor. Flinging himself forward into Link’s arms, he wrapped him into a tight embrace as they crashed down onto the bed.

“I just gained an entire family in one night.” Draco was fairly certain that his own smile matched the brilliance of Link’s as he leant in so he could whisper in his mate’s ear, knowing it would work him up. “I’ve always wanted children. The fact that I can have them with you is more than I could have ever hoped for.”

“More than one?”

“Mmm,” Draco hummed, revelling in the rush of desire he got down the bond. “I think I remember someone mentioning wanting a whole Quidditch team worth of kids last night?”

Draco laughed as Link flipped them over and claimed his lips in a fierce kiss. He knew that being able to have children together was something Link had desperately wanted and Draco was more than willing to fulfil that wish, especially if it meant having Link tumble him into bed like this in order to achieve it.


	53. Chapter 53

Smiling to himself as he dismissed his last class of the day, Draco moved quickly back towards his suite of rooms, where he knew Link was waiting for him. From the muted emotions running down the fading bond, he had figured that the potions Link was taking had knocked him out again, and he opened the door to see he had been right: Link was lying along the lounge in front of the fire, with Lily asleep on his chest.

Affection rushed through Draco, causing an uncontrollable smile to spread across his face. Link’s love of children was something that Draco had discovered he shared over the past few weeks, as he had spent more and more time with Link’s niece and nephews as well as with Lily. He passed a hand unconsciously over his flat stomach: he had some incredibly exciting news for his mate, but for the time being, it could wait.

Harry was watching the both of them, a baby book in one hand and a bottle of Butterbeer in the other. The look he shot Draco was amused as he stood and moved over in front of the lounge. Draco knelt down and carefully scooped Lily up out of Link’s arms, handing her off to Harry and moving to the doorway with him.

“We’ll see the three of you tomorrow?”

He had been unwilling to wait very long to perform the bonding ceremony, so they had decided to move their wedding up to the start of March. Harry and Severus had been some of the first to receive an invite, not only because of Severus’s friendship with Draco’s mother, but also because Link and Harry had developed a friendship over the past month.

“Of course; I don’t think we’d be forgiven if we skipped it.” Harry grinned as he glanced back over to where Link lay sleeping. “He’s so excited that the only thing that could stop him from talking about tomorrow was the potions knocking him out.”

Draco grinned and ducked his head as a blush threatened. He waved to Harry as he exited the room, then turned eagerly back to his mate. Moving quickly back over to the lounge, he knelt down and brushed his fingers lightly along Link’s cheek, enjoying the rough stubble he had grown again. Link reacted immediately, taking a deeper breath and fluttering his eyes open. A rush of joy hit Draco down the bond and he smiled wide as he leant in to brush their lips together.

“How are you, Elfling?”

Draco held his breath as Link blinked at him, a strange glint coming into his eyes. He had no idea what his mate was thinking, but he figured he would discover it soon enough: Link could never hide anything from him.

“What’s got you so excited?”

Draco grinned as Link’s eyes flickered down to Draco’s stomach and another rush of combined joy and excitement hit him down the bond. He held up a hand and stood to make certain the door was locked and Silenced. He did not get the chance to turn back to Link, as he found himself wrapped in his mate’s strong arms the second he cast the charms. Link circled one arm across Draco’s chest, but the other settled around his waist, his hand coming to rest on Draco’s belly.

“Dray...” Link’s voice was low and rough in his ear and it caused desire to begin to pool in his stomach.

“Yes,” Draco whispered in response, knowing Link would understand immediately. He smiled as Link took a shaky breath behind him.

“You’re sure?”

“I ran the test three times myself, then Pomfrey confirmed it at lunch. I’d say that’s about as confirmed as we’re going to get.”

He let out a surprised laugh when Link whooped and scooped him up in his arms, spinning them both around in a tight circle before depositing Draco on the lounge and carefully lying down on top of him. Staring up into the glowing eyes of his mate, being assaulted by wave after wave of pure joy, Draco found it impossible to prevent the delirious-sounding laughter that bubbled up from deep inside him. It had been so difficult for him to stay in class after slipping off from lunch early to see Pomfrey to confirm that his tests were correct, knowing that Link was literally just in the next room. Now that everything was out in the open, however, there would be no more holding back. Reaching around into the holster on the side of Link’s jeans, Draco pulled his wand out and handed it to him, grinning at the confusion that ran down the bond.

“You don’t want to see for yourself?”

The bright smile that lit Link’s face was accompanied by a rush of pleasure that had Draco laughing again. Lying flat on his back on the lounge, he pulled his robes aside and raised his shirt to expose his stomach to his mate. Link muttered the charm, then sat listening to the small, rapidly beating heartbeat that floated out from the end of his wand. It looked to Draco as though he was barely breathing and the emotions he was getting down the bond were so confused that he was unsure what Link was really feeling.

“Link?”

The glazed look in Link’s eyes cleared up as he blinked and sat back on his heels at the opposite end of the lounge, merely staring down at Draco in wonder. “Myn uffern i... Rydw i'n mynd i fod yn dad...”

Draco grinned as Link slipped back into Welsh again. He had heard that first part often enough to know it was more of an exclamation of surprise than anything bad, but the second part eluded him. Based on the pure joy he had felt from Link earlier, though, he had to figure that it was nothing bad. Moving slowly so he did not startle his mate, Draco slipped down the lounge so he was sitting directly in front of Link.

“One day you’re going to teach me Welsh.” He grinned when Link blinked at him.

“You’re pregnant.”

“I am.”

“I...” Link trailed off, his eyes moving down to Draco’s flat stomach again.

“Will be the best father ever,” Draco finished for him as he leant in close enough to nearly brush their lips together. “Please tell me this isn’t the start of a panic attack.”

“Dray...”

Link’s voice was rough and Draco could feel him trying to fight back an overwhelming rush of emotion. Leaning in so he could seal their lips together proved to be just the right move to break down whatever wall Link was trying to build against the waves of love, hope, joy, excitement and a thankfulness so strong Draco thought it strange that being unable to speak had been his only reaction to it all. Moving so he could settle down in between his mate’s legs properly, Draco opened his mouth, allowing Link to press his tongue inside and over his teeth. Lying wrapped in Link’s arms had always made Draco feel safer than anyone else had ever been able to, but this time it felt different. Now that they had the bond – and were to be married the next day – small things felt so much different to him. Before the bond, things like Link bunching Draco’s shirt in his fist at the base of his spine, nibbling along his jaw or even just holding him against his chest had been pleasurable, but now that they had that connection and Draco could sense the emotions driving Link’s actions, it had enhanced their relationship so much Draco had found himself on the verge of becoming overwhelmed on more than one occasion. He knew he would get used to it, but for the time being, he would just have to put up with his head spinning with so much desire for his mate that he could barely stand it. He grinned when Link Vanished their clothing, bringing them skin-to-skin.

“Better?”

“I–” Link’s voice cracked and he shook his head, glancing away from Draco as frustration rushed down the bond.

“It’s ok, Link,” Draco whispered, belatedly realising that what he was actually holding back was tears.

The realisation shocked him, as Link had held it together through everything they had been through over the months. For the one thing to bring his mate apart to be the fact that they were going to have a baby... it really drove home just how much this – how much _Draco_ – meant to him. Draco nibbled on his bottom lip for a few seconds before coming to a snap decision. He placed his fingers beneath Link’s chin, tilting his head so he could look him in the eyes.

“I love you.”

Link nodded. “I know.”

“I trust you.”

“I know.”

“You don’t have to be strong for me.”

“Dray...”

“No, Link. I understand that it goes against your nature, but you should be able to just let go every now and then. After everything we’ve been through – after everything we’ve _survived_ – you know I’ll be there when you need me to be, just as I know you’ll do the same for me.” He watched as Link’s eyes closed and he bit down on his lip. “Link?”

Draco yelped when Link grabbed the back of his head and dragged him down into a harsh kiss. “You are the most amazing man I have ever known, Dray. Every time someone told me about the strength of the love they have for their mate, I always thought it was pure fantasy. How could someone feel that much for one single person?” He paused to brush his thumb across Draco’s cheekbone, the love he was speaking of shining brightly in his eyes. “I’ve never been so happy to be proven so very wrong before.”

Draco grinned as he was drawn into another, much more passionate kiss. With Link’s hands running up and down his back and the emotions associated with that sensation distracting him, it came as a bit of a shock to Draco when he realised that Link had managed to Summon the lube from the bedroom. He was prepared quickly this time. He wanted to be with his mate, to show him just how much he was wanted and needed, so Link’s usual insistence on moving slowly was definitely not going to help Draco’s cause this time around. He let out a whimper when Link hooked his fingers and very deliberately rubbed against his prostate.

“Now,” Draco gasped out, waving his wand to extend the lounge enough so he could balance properly.

Draco had spent the past month trying – and failing – to get a grip on the level of emotion that hit him when they were together. Since they had sealed the bond, he had been embarrassed to realise that being able to sense Link’s emotions brought him to completion much quicker than he was used to. He knew it must be frustrating for Link, who seemed to be able to balance out everything much easier than Draco could. Sitting up and running a lubed hand along Link’s length behind him, Draco grinned. His solution to this problem was for him to take control. If he could control their pace and how much of Link he took, then it would make it much easier for him to last; or that was the theory, at least.

“What are you–?” Link’s question was cut off with a hiss of breath as Draco sat back slowly, carefully guiding him as he moved. “Gods, Dray...”

Draco grinned as he settled down properly. His eyes drifted closed as Link’s hands ran up his thighs, ghosting over the sensitive insides before coming to rest on his hips. It had been a long time since he had ridden him and the sensation of being filled in a completely different way than usual was sending jolts of lust through him. He trailed his fingers up Link’s chest, teasing and pinching his nipples until they stood to attention. The rapid rise and fall of Link’s chest beneath his hands caused Draco to smile just before he began to move. He felt Link’s breathing hitch with the first movement of his hips, then speed up again, leaving him panting beneath Draco as he watched, his hands clenched on Draco’s hips. Leaning forward, Draco balanced on his elbows so he could capture his mate’s lips in a kiss as he found his rhythm. He could completely understand how people could find this position better than any other, as it allowed Link to stroke him as he moved, which he proceeded to do, causing Draco to groan in pleasure. Moving one hand up so he could trace along the shell of Link’s ear earned him a deep moan and Link broke the kiss.

“Dray, I... I n-need...”

“Come for me, Link,” Draco whispered against his lips in response.

He smiled when Link’s back arched, rising them up off the lounge as he let out a whine of pleasure. Clenching his muscles around his mate caused him to lose control completely and he cried out as he began to come. His hand stilled on Draco’s cock, causing him to whimper, but he kept moving, drawing Link’s pleasure out as much as possible. Link’s hand began to move again the second his body stopped spasming and Draco could not help moving his hand to join his mate’s. Stroking quickly, they brought Draco to orgasm together, with Link’s hand being the one to continue to stroke him through his release. Draco’s breath came in harsh pants as he collapsed down onto his mate, just as a cleansing charm washed over him.

“Love you, Dray.” Link’s voice was raw and Draco smiled in response.

“Love you, too, Elfling.”

*~*

Taking a deep breath, Lincoln frowned in frustration as yet another wave of nerves crashed through him, causing his fingers to slip on the tiny buttons of his dress shirt. Why he had ever agreed to let Draco choose his clothing for the wedding was beyond him, as he had wound up in a midnight blue dress shirt beneath formal robes of a bluey purple. The reason Draco had given for the colour choice when Lincoln had questioned him had been ‘I love what it does to your eyes’, which had caused a deep blush to creep across his face and had silenced him quite effectively on the subject.

He took a step towards the mirror when his hands continued to tremble and let out a frustrated growl. Closing his eyes and clenching his hands in an attempt to control it, he knew he was doomed to fail. The idea of standing up in front of pretty much everyone he knew and cared about – and quite a few he did not know at all – was terrifying, if he had to be honest. Unfortunately, neither of their mothers would have allowed them to have a simple ceremony with only a few close friends and family there, so they had wound up in the formal, public ballroom of the clan, which was capable of easily holding a few hundred people.

The thoughts were shoved aside when he sensed his mate’s presence getting closer to him. They were not supposed to see each other before the ceremony, but Lincoln found himself quite thankful that Draco seemed to not care about that particular tradition. Draco wasted no time in replacing Lincoln’s hands with his own on the tiny buttons of his dress shirt. However, whereas Lincoln had been buttoning from the bottom upwards, Draco’s fingers travelled from the top down, brushing his knuckles along the exposed skin of Lincoln’s chest as they moved. The light touch sent shivers down Lincoln’s spine and caused his skin to pimple.

“I really don’t like formal robes, Dray.”

The quiet chuckle he received in response warmed him and he smiled. Opening his eyes to see Draco watching him in the mirror with desire clear on his face caused the smile to widen as he turned in his mate’s arms. Draco returned his smile when he ran his hands down his back to cup his arse.

“If it was up to you, we’d all be in jeans and t-shirts.”

Lincoln leant in close, brushing his lips against Draco’s ear. “I seem to recall you looking particularly fine in a pair of well-fitting jeans.”

Draco hummed happily, pressing closer so he could bury his nose in behind Lincoln’s ear. “Feeling better now, Elfling?”

Lincoln pulled back from him, blinking as he tried to process what Draco had just said. It occurred to him in a few seconds that this entire conversation – including the accompanying actions – had been designed to blunt the edge of his nerves over the ceremony and he smiled slowly. Draco’s responding smile held a touch of smugness that Lincoln thought he was entitled to, if only just this once. He leant in to brush their lips together.

“Thank you.”

“You know, you two are lucky it was me who discovered you and not mum.” There was humour in Gwen’s voice as Lincoln reluctantly pulled back from his mate’s embrace to glance over to her over Draco’s shoulder. “Sorry, but I need to steal him.”

Lincoln nodded as he took one last breath of Draco’s scent before releasing him; he had known they could not stay like that long before someone came looking for one of them. However, Draco managed to surprise him by refusing to let him go completely, wrapping his left arm around Lincoln’s middle. He leant into the touch, pleasure rushing through him. This had become a habit of Draco’s over the past month after they had realised that Lincoln was a little unstable on his feet after the rejection. By wrapping his left arm around Lincoln’s waist, Draco balanced him out enough to keep him standing. He did not actually need the support anymore, but he knew he would never object to it. Running a finger along Lincoln’s jaw, Draco grinned.

“Any time.”

Lincoln grinned back before turning back to the mirror to dress properly. Thinking back on that morning, he had to figure that most, if not all of Draco’s actions that day had been directed at making him feel less nervous than he already was. Draco had insisted that morning that there was something they had to do before getting married that afternoon. He had produced the gold necklace that held Adrian’s magical signature and had proceeded to burn it with an _Incendio_ as he threw it into the fire of Lincoln’s flat. His reasoning had been that today marked a new beginning for the two of them. Their marriage was not going to be tainted by the memory of Adrian and he wanted no physical reminders of what he had almost managed to do to them both. Lincoln had not objected, despite the fact that he thought it was probably illegal to burn something like that. In fact, he agreed completely with Draco’s reasoning: this was a new beginning for them and he never wanted the memories of what had happened over the past few months to mar what they shared together ever again. Smiling as he pulled his robes on, he realised that Draco had actually managed to dampen almost all of the nerves that had been rampaging through him.

*~*

“You know, I have never once seen Link this nervous.”

Draco grinned as he exited the tiny changing room to see Gwen perched on the one chair in the small room at the back of the ballroom. He ran his hands over his dove grey formal robes, straightening out almost non-existent wrinkles before answering. She had just busted the two of them together when they were not supposed to be and he had no idea if she was going to blame him for it.

“I know: that’s why I was there.” He offered up a small smile when she grinned at him.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell. We all know how difficult it is to resist when you know your mate’s that worried about something.”

Draco ducked his head as a wave of pure happiness rushed through him. He was used to thinking about Link as his mate, but to hear someone else say it like that still made him blush. A wave of what felt very much like Elven magic washed over them just then, halting any further conversation. It had a definite earthy tone to it, but he knew instinctively it had not come from Link.

“That’s our cue. Come here.” Gwen stood to run her hands along the collar of Draco’s pale blue dress shirt despite the fact that he knew it did not need adjusting. “I’ll be in the front row and will perform the bonding at the very end of the ceremony. Pay close attention to what Gerard is saying and at least _try_ to keep your hands to yourself until the privacy charm is cast.”

She waited until Draco had given her a distracted nod before exiting the room. He stood before the doors, taking slow breaths in an attempt to stop his own nerves from overwhelming him. The soft music wafting in from the ballroom changed and he unclenched hands he had no memory of clenching in the first place. Draco’s head raised and his posture straightened automatically when the doors opened and he was greeted by the smiling faces of close to a hundred people, most of whom he did not know. Since they were having the ceremony in the clan, there were not that many people Draco had invited, but those he had all looked incredibly happy and proud as he made his way slowly down the aisle.

The wash of earthy-feeling magic soon made sense as the wooden room now had vines creeping along the walls and little silver balls of light hovering near to the ceiling. Draco knew that the full Elven wedding ceremony usually involved bright colours, loud music and – strangely enough – animals as the ring bearers. He thanked his lucky stars that they had managed to pare the ceremony back, with only the unusual colours of their robes remaining as an oddity compared to a regular wedding: Link was nervous enough as it was without having to deal with the full ceremony as well. A rush of desire down the nearly faded bond brought Draco’s eyes to his mate standing at the front of the ballroom next to Gerard, who was to perform the ceremony.

Link looked – in a word – beautiful. Draco knew that many people would tell him that he was not being objective on that point due to their bond, but Link truly was the most desirable man Draco had ever known. He had chosen the bluey purple robes Link wore because they turned his eyes the most stunning shade of violet Draco had seen from him yet and set off his lightly tanned skin... Draco blinked as he realised he was in danger of completely embarrassing himself in front of pretty much everyone he knew. A light blush crept up his cheeks as he made the front of the room and he reached automatically for Link’s right hand as he moved to stand beside him. A quiet laugh from just behind him told him that Gwen had not really expected him to be able to keep his hands to himself and his blush deepened. It was Link’s hand tightening in his that really settled Draco down and brought his attention back to what he was supposed to be focussed on. Gerard offered them a smile before beginning the ceremony.

“Friends, family, we are here today to witness the joining of two faithful souls in a bonding deeper than words can truly express. The commitment that Draco and Lincoln make here today will bind their essences together in the tightest of bonds, unbreakable until death.

“Draco Lucius Malfoy, do you swear to commit yourself to the happiness and comfort of your mate? Do you swear to provide a safe haven for your mate in times of need? Do you swear that nothing and no one will ever come between you and your mate, as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” A jolt of pure delight shooting down the bond nearly had Draco laughing in response, but he stayed quiet, knowing now was not the time.

“Lincoln Alexander Northam, do you swear to commit yourself to the safety and security of your mate? Do you swear to never allow another to distract you from your duty to keep your mate from harm? Do you swear that no one will ever come before your mate in your heart?”

“I do.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Draco could see Link beaming just as wide as he was at that moment and he could not help squeezing the hand he still held. Link squeezed his fingers in return before releasing him.

“Please present your left hands, gentlemen.”

Gerard grasped their hands when they held them out, Link’s above Draco’s. Draco frowned, as he knew that a duplicating charm only required a small incantation rather than actual physical contact, but Link did not seem worried, so he returned his attention to Gerard.

“The trials you have gone through in order to be standing here in this moment are more than anyone should ever have to. In order to make this as clear and plain as possible, it has been decided to include a small extra ceremony here today in front of everyone you both know and love.” Confusion caused Draco to glance over to Link, who smiled at him and nodded back to Gerard. “Draco Lucius Malfoy, it has been acknowledged that while you have not sought out any official blessing for your bond with Lincoln here today, everyone present knows that your bond is true. If you shall accept it, I would like to offer my full, official blessing as the Head of the Cardiff clan of Wood Elves as well as full membership in the clan from this day forward.”

Draco’s breath whooshed out of him as shock settled in his chest. He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath as he nodded. Link’s free hand coming to rest softly on the small of his back gave Draco the courage to open his eyes again and actually speak.

“I accept your offer with thanks,” he responded and received another jolt of delight down the bond.

A slight rustle behind them and a wave of light green magic flowing over them told him that they had come to the end of the ceremony. Gerard murmured the duplicating charm just before Gwen began reciting a spell that Draco had no chance of understanding. It was neither Welsh nor Latin, but it did not distract him for long. The wave of green bonding magic swirled around the two of them and Draco turned to face Link, knowing that this was the moment he had been craving for the past month. The magic swirled around them faster and faster, never changing colour as the original bonding magic had done, but staying a bright green as it moved. When Gwen finished the spell, the magic settled over Draco and Link, seeming to centre on their hearts. Draco took a deep breath as it settled properly and he felt the bond opening up again. Just before it opened fully, Gerard spoke again.

“You may kiss your husband.”

The applause Draco could hear was drowned out in a matter of seconds as their new bond opened completely and he was assaulted by everything Link was feeling all at once. He was drawn into a soft kiss for the photographers before he felt Link cast a privacy charm over the two of them. Wrapping his arms tightly around his mate’s shoulders, Draco drew as close to him as he could get, letting out an involuntary whimper as he was nearly overwhelmed by the sensation.

“Shh, Dray, it’s alright. I’ve got you,” Link murmured into his ear as he wrapped his arms securely around Draco’s middle. “Is that better?”

Draco let out a huff of laughter at the amusement in Link’s voice and pulled back a little so he could see it in his eyes as well. Glowing a deep blue, they reflected everything Draco could now sense down the bond. Moving a hand so he could brush against Link’s cheekbone, Draco grinned.

“You knew about the blessing.”

“I did.”

Leaning forward so he could rest their foreheads together, Draco’s grin widened into a proper smile. “Thank you.”

A wave of desire hit him again when he brushed their lips together. Link’s arms loosened for a few seconds so he could ghost a hand over Draco’s belly, causing his smile to feel as though it was going to crack his face in two.

“The two of you are the most wonderful things to ever happen to me, Dray; there was no way I was going to turn him down when he offered. I love you.”

“I love you too, Elfling,” he whispered before claiming his mate’s – his _husband’s_ – lips in a passionate kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welsh translation: Bloody hell... I'm going to be a father.
> 
> I have the next chapter pretty much written. Does anyone want me to post it on Wednesday and the epilogue next Sunday?


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's Wednesday morning here so, as promised, here is the next chapter. \o.o/

TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER

“Scorps!”

Harry frowned as Lily began to squirm in his arms the second they exited the back door of The Burrow. It was difficult enough trying to decipher Lily’s toddler version of English at the best of times, but when she was excited, it became even harder. Wriggling as Harry tried to keep hold of her, Lily turned to face him and pointed off to his right.

“Scorps!”

Frowning even more as he turned to see what she was pointing at, Harry let out a laugh. Draco and Link were just arriving for the wedding, with Link carrying baby Scorpius in his arms. Scorpius was just over a year and a half old now and Lily had developed a bit of a fascination with him. Not because she had never met a baby younger than her before – especially with the amount of Weasleys currently producing enormous broods of their own – but there was something about Scorpius’s shock of white blond hair that she seemed to like very much. Of course, her habit of running her hands through said hair seemed to annoy Scorpius no end and Harry got the impression that they were going to have an antagonistic relationship as they grew. Grinning as he changed direction to intercept them, Harry had to wonder at how strange this would have seemed to his younger self a few years before. Not only was he marrying Sev that day, but their daughter was to be the flower girl and he had willingly invited Draco, who had also now had a child with his mate.

“Scorps!”

“Hey there, beautiful lady,” Link greeted Lily with a wide smile, handing Scorpius carefully off to Draco so he could take her from Harry’s arms. “Look at that dress!”

Harry grinned as Lily obviously basked in the attention, looking back to him as though to tell him that this is how she should be treated all the time. Molly and Andromeda had chosen all the clothing for the wedding with the exception of Sev’s robes, which he had firmly insisted were to be a solid black. Lily’s dress was cream coloured with purple and pink flowers trimming the edges and it flowed out from her tiny hips so it looked like a miniature version of a ball gown. She clearly loved it and had been showing off to everyone she could all morning. Harry’s attention was grabbed when Draco shifted Scorpius in his arms and turned to him.

“How’s Severus holding up?”

Harry turned his attention inward for a brief second at Draco’s question before grinning. “I haven’t felt him this terrified about something since Lily’s birth.”

“Don’t worry,” Draco told him with a smirk. “Link almost had a breakdown as well.”

“I can hear you.”

“You were supposed to.”

Link snorted. “Can you believe this, Lil?” He grinned when Lily nodded. “Yeah, I probably should have expected it, shouldn’t I?”

Harry smiled and shook his head. Yes, his life had definitely turned out much different than he had expected it to. Three years ago he had not even known it was possible for a man to get pregnant, but here he was surrounded by proof of that fact. Draco, the bastard, had had a rather smooth pregnancy, with only a bit of morning sickness to mar it. Harry would have cursed him with pregnancy-like symptoms if he had not known that Link would have ripped him to shreds. He straightened his posture automatically when he spotted Narcissa making her way over to them, then shot Draco a glare when he obviously noticed and smirked at him.

“Narcissa,” Harry greeted her with a nod of his head. It still felt strange to be interacting with Narcissa Malfoy in such a friendly way, but he figured he would eventually get used to it, even if it was only for Sev’s benefit. “How are you?”

“I am very well, Harry, thank you. And yourself?”

It was only by sheer force of will that Harry stopped himself from complaining about the ache in his lower back, as he knew it would only give away news that Sev should hear first. “Yeah, good, good. Nervous, but good.” He glanced over towards the back of the property where the marquee was set up as he felt a sharper jolt of nerves from Sev than the rest had been that morning. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to get going. We have half an hour before the ceremony starts and you can start to take seats in fifteen minutes.”

He smiled as Link handed him Lily back, but then nearly forgot all about them. There had never been a question of whether they would invite Draco and Link, but Harry had much more pressing matters on his mind that day than whether Narcissa Malfoy approved of The Burrow. Lily began to squirm again the second they entered the marquee. Lowering her to the ground, Harry grinned as she ran straight for where he knew Sev was dressing in one of the small rooms that had been added to the marquee especially for the wedding. Her dress flowed out behind her as she ran and the sight filled Harry with warmth.

“Father!”

A calming happiness filled Harry from Sev as soon as he saw Lily disappear into the room. It was a much softer feeling than anything else he ever felt from his mate and always caused a smile to cross his face. A loud shriek of laughter reached his ears, followed by a low, rumbling voice he could not quite make out. Moving so he could stand in the doorway, Harry’s smile widened at the sight that met him. Sev was holding Lily to his chest, his face buried in her hair and Lily was clinging to him as if he was about to disappear.

“I can always tell when you’re with her, you know. You feel different than when you’re with anyone else.”

Affection rushed through him as Sev gifted him with one of his rare, genuine smiles that it seemed he reserved specifically for Harry and Lily. Lily was shifted easily to Sev’s other hip so he could bend to kiss Harry. It was only brief – because of Lily’s presence, mostly – but it caused warmth to pool in Harry’s stomach anyway. Long fingers ran through Harry’s hair as he pulled back, untidying it even more than usual. Sev’s smile widened when Lily tangled her fingers through his hair and Harry had to resist the urge to smirk at the unwitting payback Lily had delivered for him. Harry glanced behind him when Lily began to struggle in Sev’s arms.

“Vickie!” She waddled out to wrap her arms around Victoire Weasley – who had arrived with Fleur – when she was placed on the floor.

“‘Arry, you’re not even dressed yet!” Fleur frowned at Harry, who grinned sheepishly back at her. “Off with you, and try to do something about your hair, please.”

Harry rolled his eyes, earning himself a smirk from his mate, before leaving the room with Fleur right behind him. He knew Sev would keep a close eye on the toddlers, so he was free to worry about his clothing and trying not to look ridiculous in the fancy formal robes. Molly and Andromeda had chosen a set of bottle green robes for him, apparently because they matched his eyes. He had tried to object, but they had overridden him, stating that it was obvious that neither he nor Sev had any idea about fashion. Harry figured he was copping the backlash from Sev absolutely refusing to listen to them when it came to his clothing choice for the day and was busy plotting revenge on him when he realised Fleur had followed him into the dressing room.

“Er, Fleur?” He raised an eyebrow at her in imitation of Sev and received a withering look in return. “Can I get some privacy?”

“In a minute,” she replied as she moved into the room and closed the door behind her. “You want me to cast the Veela wedding charm over you before you walk the aisle, yes?”

Harry smiled in relief and nodded rapidly. “Yeah, since I technically have some Veela blood from way back, I figured it’d be nice to add in a bit of Veela tradition for me as well as for Sev.” He frowned, wondering if that had even made much sense, but Fleur smiled in return, letting him know she had muddled through the jumbled sentence. “It’s not against any kind of traditions, is it?”

He was still a little uncertain when it came to Veela traditions, but Catherine, Lucy and now Link had managed to bring him up to scratch with the Wood Elf ones over the past two years. He now knew that if any of their kids had Wood Elf Inheritances, they would most likely be affected by the same suppression charm that the rest of the proper Wood Elf community was affected by. The reasoning Lucy and Link – the two Wood Elf Healers he knew – had given him was that Sev’s Veela blood was much closer than either of Harry’s creatures, but if the Elven blood managed to beat it in one or more of their children in the future, the Veela blood would help to enhance the power of the Inheritance. Harry knew both that he was lucky to have had any kind of Inheritance and that the only reason he had had any Inheritance at all was because of the combination of creatures he had. If he had had only one or the other, then he would have just been a normal wizard.

“No, no,” Fleur told him, breaking him out of his thoughts. “You have the Veela blood, so you are entitled to have the charm. I will come back when you are dressed.”

Harry breathed a small sigh of relief, which was echoed by someone in the small bathroom adjoining the room. He spun around, wand in hand and ready to curse whoever it was that had snuck in when Ron stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only his trousers.

“You know, I never thought I’d run the risk of being busted half naked by a real Veela. Not that I would have objected a few years back, but I’m pretty sure Hermione would kill me now.” He grinned at the wand pointed at him. “Although you’re probably right: being hexed senseless while half naked is most likely less embarrassing.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Why are you dressing in here anyway? Has the family ghoul taken over your old room?”

“No,” Ron replied simply, offering up another grin as Harry stashed his wand in the holster up his sleeve. “But every single one of the women in my family – including various sister-in-laws – has decided that it would be brilliant to get ready for this wedding together. The bloody place has been overrun, mate!”

Harry huffed out a laugh. Percy had married the year before and Fred and George had invited Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson respectively, so The Burrow’s overcrowding problems were not going to get any better any time soon. Of course, Ron would have been including his own wife in the mess of women who were annoying him at that moment; not that he would ever admit it. He and Hermione had married at the start of that year and Hermione was currently four months pregnant, so Ron tended to tread carefully with what he said in front of her these days. It was all rather amusing to Harry to watch pregnancy from the other side and he only just stopped himself from blurting out his news to Ron before biting down on his tongue. He was about to respond when they were interrupted.

“And here’s the blushing bride!” Harry spun around to see Fred grinning at him with Teddy Lupin on his hip. “Your Godfather is getting married, Teddy.”

Teddy eyed him for a few seconds before turning his hair pitch black and wriggling out of Fred’s arms. He spun around and sprinted out of the room, giggling wildly, although at what Harry had no idea. Shaking his head, he turned back to the wardrobe and pulled out his formal robes, tossing Ron his as he did. Because he had been working in Fred and George’s shop in Diagon for the past two years, Ron had managed to buy himself some robes that actually suited him rather than the mouldy-looking dress-type thing Molly had purchased for him in their fourth year. They were a blue almost the same shade as Fred and George were both wearing, but a few shades lighter. Hermione had supposedly vetoed a set of Chudley Canon-orange robes, but that information was based off Fred’s word only, so Harry had no idea if it was true or not.

“I’m not a bride, Fred,” Harry informed him, shaking his head to get his thoughts back on track.

“You keep telling yourself that, mate,” Fred responded with a grin as he stepped into the tiny room with them. Leaning close to Harry as he adjusted the fit of his robes, his grin widened. “Now, are you absolutely certain about this? George and I can probably get you both out a window if you want to skip out on a proper ceremony.”

He sniggered when Harry rolled his eyes at him in the mirror. “I can’t disappoint Lily at this stage; she’d never forgive me.”

“But if it wasn’t for Lily, you’d take me up on the offer? Fascinating.”

He laughed again when Harry jabbed him in the ribs to get him out of the way and moved out into the marquee again to give them a little more room. The look Harry shared with Ron told him that it was entirely possible that either one or both of the twins had made the same offer to him a few months previously. A rustling sound from just outside the marquee distracted Harry for a few seconds, but Ron cleared up his confusion easily.

“That would most likely be the first of the guests arriving. Which reminds me: I need to talk to Lucy, see if she needs me to do anything other than stand there when she casts the charm.” He slipped out the door a few seconds later.

They had asked Lucy to perform the Elven bonding magic they had seen at Draco and Link’s wedding two years previously. There was no need for them to have it, other than that it looked good at the end of a ceremony, but Harry had insisted on it. Having Ron as his best man had never been a question – because who else would he have asked to stand with him when he got married? – but which one of their Elven friends to ask to perform the charm for them had caused a little difficulty for Harry. They had eventually decided on Lucy, mostly because she had been one of the first people they had made friends with from Harry’s clan. The added bonus for Harry with this decision was that she had no problems wearing the traditional Wood Elf robes for the ceremony, so at least one of the people standing before the alter would be wearing the traditional clothing. He grinned as he was jolted out of his thoughts when he sensed Sev getting closer to him.

“Yes, Lily, you can walk down the aisle just ahead of Daddy.”

Harry turned to see Fred stepping into the doorway, a mischievous glint to his eyes. He was about to stop him, but he spoke before Harry could.

“It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, you know.”

“Freddie!”

Harry’s eyes widened as what Fred had said began to sink in. Making a last adjustment to his robes quickly, he moved to stand just behind him.

“Did you just –”

“Call me a woman?!” Harry interrupted Sev, as he glared at Fred’s back. _Again!_

“Hey, he who bears the children, mate.”

Harry opened his mouth to object, but Fred had already scooped Lily into his arms and scampered out with Victoire in tow. He attempted a glare when Sev let out a sharp bark of laughter.

“Oh, shut-up, you git.”

Giving up on the glare, Harry stomped out of the room, grasped two handfuls of Sev’s hair and dragged him down into a harsh kiss. He pressed closer when one of Sev’s hands moved to brush against the nape of his neck, sending shivers through his stomach. The strength of Harry’s reactions to that touch had not lessened over the years, with him still associating it with so much pleasure he generally struggled not to react to it in public. A slightly embarrassed cough from the doorway of the marquee broke them apart and Harry, expecting to see one of the Weasleys, was mortified to see Catherine there, her eyes averted so as not to look at them.

“Er, hi, Catherine. Nearly time, is it?” Harry backed up into the room behind him quickly, offering Sev an embarrassed grin.

“Yes.” Harry’s grin turned into a smirk when she turned to smile at Sev. He received a warning look in response behind Catherine’s back when she turned to continue speaking to him. “And it is good to see I shall have no need to ask if you are both still willing.”

Harry grinned at Sev before he turned back into the room again. Fleur entered behind him a few minutes later just as Harry was beginning to fidget with the collar of his formal robes.

“The guests have arrived and it is nearly time for us to begin,” she announced as she swept into the tiny room with Lily on her hip. Harry grinned and grabbed his daughter when she flailed her arms in the air and flung herself towards him, thankful that Fred had not taken her too far in his haste to get away from him. “It is time for me to place the charm. You can send Lily down the aisle ahead of you?”

Placing Lily safely on the ground so she did not get caught up in the charm, Harry smiled at Fleur. “Yeah, it should be fine. Her basket’s right here and she’s been practicing all week.”

Fleur returned his smile and cast the charm in a matter of seconds, surprising Harry. He had thought something that was apparently so guarded would be complicated, but it only took two sentences before his robes emitted the same kind of light Fleur had given off at her own wedding. A clatter just outside the door told Harry that the guests had seated themselves and he felt a strong jolt of nerves down the bond. Fleur left him and Lily alone after casting the charm and he stood just holding his daughter for a few seconds before he felt a wave of earthy-toned magic wash over them. Surprise rippled through him, matching what he received down the bond just as a knock sounded on the door. Sticking his head out, he saw Hermione grinning at him.

“It’s time, Harry.”

He grinned and thanked her before retreating back into the room for a few seconds. Kneeling down in front of Lily, he handed her the basket full of flower petals.

“Ok, Lily, do you remember what you’re going to do today?”

“The flowers go on the ground.”

It was all he could get out of her and Harry found himself hoping desperately that she would not just dump the basket on the ground and try to make a run for it out the door. The sound of a slow Veela wedding song floated through the door and Harry took a steadying breath. Standing and opening the door of the room, he watched as Lily slowly made her way out and down the aisle. There were many titters and gasps as she went, throwing the petals onto the ground and making sure to step directly onto them as she walked. He cringed when she reached the front of the marquee and tossed the basket into the crowd, then ran into Sev’s waiting arms. The crowd laughed and Harry pulled back into the room, warmth spreading through him as he felt affection rushing down the bond. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a few seconds. Now it was his turn.

The trip down the aisle was not as traumatic as Harry had feared it would be. He locked eyes with his mate and kept them there as he moved, using Sev as an anchor to ground him. His nerves slowly drained away to be replaced by an incredible excitement as he got closer to his mate. By the time he reached the front of the marquee, Harry’s face was aching with the size of his smile. He could feel Sev’s own nerves waning as he came to stand beside him, facing Catherine.

“Friends, family, we are here today to witness the joining of two faithful souls in a bonding deeper than words can truly express. The commitment that Harry and Severus make here today will bind their essences together in the tightest of bonds, unbreakable until death.

“Harry James Potter, do you swear to commit yourself to the happiness and comfort of your mate? Do you swear to provide a safe haven for your mate in times of need? Do you swear that nothing and no one will ever come between you and your mate, as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Harry received a jolt of joy down the bond as he made his vow.

“Severus Tobias Snape, do you swear to commit yourself to the safety and security of your mate? Do you swear to never allow another to distract you from your duty to keep your mate from harm? Do you swear that no one will ever come before your mate in your heart?”

“I do.”

If possible, Harry thought his smile widened even further at the strength of Sev’s voice ringing out across the marquee. He glanced up to see him smiling down at him and had to resist the urge to almost bounce with happiness at the joy he was hit with down the bond.

“Please present your left hands, gentlemen.”

Harry held his hand out to have it grasped by Catherine. Sev did the same, lining his up on top of Harry’s. Catherine intoned the duplicating charm and Harry shivered at the feeling of Sev’s white gold engagement ring being copied onto his own finger. He flexed his hand the second Catherine released them, smiling down at the ring now on his finger.

A small rustle behind him caught his attention and he turned to see Lucy standing in the aisle behind them wearing, as promised, one of the brightly coloured Elven formal robes. He grinned at her before facing his mate. He knew this part of the ceremony was just for show with them, but he also knew it would look fantastic, as he had quite enjoyed watching it at Link and Draco’s wedding. The magic that began to swirl around them had the same feeling as the bonding magic Harry had cast three years ago to properly bond him to Sev. The only difference Harry could tell was that it did not darken. It swirled around and around before settling over their hearts.

“Their bond is true,” Lucy announced to the crowd. “The ceremony is complete.”

Harry grabbed the front of Sev’s robes, unwilling to wait much longer as his excitement began to get the better of him. Meeting the black eyes of his mate, Harry nearly missed what Catherine said next.

“You may kiss your husband.”

The soft kiss he received was nowhere near enough. Despite knowing that Sev would not like the idea of putting on a display in front of everyone, Harry did not allow him to back off.

“Kiss me properly, Sev,” he demanded, still unable to stop smiling up at his mate.

“Harry –”

“I’m pregnant, Sev. Now kiss me!”

Harry felt a privacy charm wash over them as Sev stared blankly at him. They had been trying to have another child since Lily had turned one, but had been unsuccessful. Harry had begun to wonder if there had been some kind of damage done to him during Lily’s birth that the Healers had missed, but it turned out that it was just difficult for him to get pregnant. He let out an overjoyed bark of laughter when Sev finally reacted, lifting him up into his arms and kissing him soundly. He could have sworn that he heard a whoop from the audience, but he was too focussed on his mate to care. He tangled his fingers through Sev’s hair, tugging on it as their tongues battled. When they finally broke apart, it was to find the room had been magically transformed: tables with finger foods and champagne had appeared, the chairs had been Vanished and a dance floor had appeared in the middle of the marquee. Turning his attention back to Sev, he grinned.

“Harry, you are... I –”

Harry smiled wide, understanding that Sev was struggling to express the combination of love and excited joy rushing through him. Deciding to help his mate out, Harry grinned again.

“I know, Sev, and so are you.” It may not have made much sense in the context of the conversation – such as it was – to anyone listening in, but Sev seemed to understand the feelings rushing through Harry and that he was trying to tell him the exact same thing.

“So incredibly sorry to interrupt the moment, but we really need the happy couple for their first dance.”

Harry glanced over to Lucy, who grinned at him before moving off towards the dance floor. Harry unhooked his ankles from Sev’s waist and slid down to the ground.

“‘First dance’?” Sev raised an eyebrow at him and Harry had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

“Oh, come on, Sev. One dance won’t kill you.”

“Harry, you know I do not dance.”

Fred and George cheered loudly as Harry dragged Sev out onto the dance floor and it only got louder as Harry turned to wrap his arms around his mate’s neck. “‘Do not’ doesn’t necessarily mean you _cannot_ , Sev.”

Sev let out a sigh and adjusted Harry’s hands on him so that they were standing in the formal waltz position just as the music started up. Harry did not remember much about their first dance, as the memory was mostly clouded by the pure shock that he felt when it became obvious that Sev must have some kind of formal dance training. When the dance ended Harry was nearly completely breathless, not from exertion – as he had nearly gotten back into his regular shape only four or five months after giving birth to Lily – but more from desire. Pulling his mate close to him as he tried to step away, Harry tried to project everything he was feeling down the bond, but was unsure if he managed it.

“No, it does not mean I cannot dance, love; just that I do not like to.”

“We’re doing that again before the night is through.”

Harry was pretty sure Sev had felt the jolt of desire he had sent down the bond, but had ignored it as they were separated by obviously well-meaning friends. He took a steadying breath when he locked eyes with Sev across the marquee the second he turned around. It was then that he knew for sure that Sev had felt what he had projected at him, as he felt a very pointed, clear feeling of desire sent back to him. He grinned and refocussed on those around him, figuring they would eventually not be able to resist and would slip out of the marquee to have some time to themselves.

*~*

Smiling to himself as he watched Draco fussing over Scorpius, Lincoln sighed happily. His son had turned out to look almost identical to what Draco had looked like at that age and Lincoln could not have been happier about it. Draco had declared almost immediately that they were having more children so Lincoln could pass on his eye colour to the next generation, which had caused a bright red blush to spread across Lincoln’s face, but he had not objected. If Draco wished to have children until they came out with Lincoln’s dark blue eyes, then he was not going to object. Especially if it meant being dragged off into empty rooms with the sole purpose of achieving said children. He grinned when Draco caught him staring, then watched as his mate handed Scorpius off to Narcissa and made his way over to him. Draco moved over to grab Lincoln’s hands and try to tug him to his feet.

“Come dance with me.”

“You know your style of dancing isn’t what they mean when they ask other couples to join in the dancing, right?” Lincoln grinned when Draco rolled his eyes.

“Get up and dance with me or I’ll go find that Weasley cousin who was checking me out earlier.”

Lincoln sighed dramatically, but stood anyway, chuckling when Draco returned his grin. He knew he had nothing to worry about when it came to Draco and the amount of people who checked him out – which was a _lot_ – but he also knew that he was probably not kidding. Draco’s left arm circled around Lincoln’s waist in the supportive gesture he had not grown out of as he pulled him to his feet. It caused Lincoln’s grin to widen as they moved onto the dance floor. Meeting Draco’s dancing grey eyes, Lincoln smiled properly when Draco drew him close. His eyes closed as they began to move to the rhythm of the music and he received a shock of desire down their bond.

“Elfling,” Draco whispered, sending a pleasurable shiver through Lincoln’s stomach. “You smell _so_ good.”

Lincoln smiled again in response, as he knew that Draco would only ever be able to smell the earthy scent on his skin that he had apparently been able to smell on him since the first day they met. The past two years since they had married had been the happiest of Lincoln’s life, especially after Scorpius’s arrival a year and a half before.

The news of Harry’s new pregnancy had spread through the marquee in what seemed a matter of seconds when it had begun to circle the room. A happy sense of anticipation rushed through Lincoln at the idea that they would also hopefully have similar news within the next few months to spread around. Tightening his grip on Draco’s waist to pull him closer earned him a happy hum in his ear.

“Dray...”

“Mother is taking Scorpius back to the Manor with her tonight...”

The amount of suggestion in Draco’s voice had Lincoln growling in anticipation. “You think they’d notice if we slipped out?”

“Please,” Draco scoffed. “If you’d seen the looks Severus has been shooting Harry, you wouldn’t be asking that question.”

“Thanks for imagery, Dray.” He grinned when Draco laughed in his ear. “So, we slip out of the wards and get back to the clan then.”

“An entire night without a screaming baby to interrupt... Think the neighbours would object to a little skinny dipping in the lake?”

“I don’t care if they do,” Lincoln whispered in Draco’s ear and received a rush of desire down the bond in response.

Grabbing his husband’s hand, he manoeuvred them through the crowd, anticipation causing his blood to thrum in his ears. He managed to wave to Harry across the room just before slipping out of the marquee, receiving a knowing grin in response that had him chuckling as he Apparated Draco back home to Cardiff.

*~*

“You know, Mr. Potter, I did not give you and Draco the Defence job so you could take it in turns to get pregnant.”

Harry resisted the urge to inform Minerva that he was fairly certain that they would not be taking turns this time around – especially after the look Link had given him when they had left – and turned a wide smile on her instead. “You can’t tell me you don’t like having so many babies around; I’ve seen the way you dote on Lily.”

She smiled at him as she moved to continue her way towards the dance floor with one of the guests Harry did not recognise. “It is not the children themselves I am complaining about, more my almost constant lack of staff.”

Harry grinned as she disappeared into the crowd. He knew she was joking and found it incredibly satisfying that they had managed to get to a place in their relationship where they could joke like that with each other. To him, it was a sign that she accepted that he was a real adult. He nodded when Ron and Hermione moved past him to join her on the dance floor.

“Harry, what do you say to us slipping out before the end of the party?”

Harry shivered at the sound of Sev’s voice in his ear. He had felt his mate watching him the entire night and had known that something like this would most likely happen the second people started leaving the reception. Narcissa and Andromeda had taken their respective grandsons home to sleep a while back, and Bill had taken both Lily and Victoire with him back to The Burrow to do the same. Harry had been watching the couples dancing, but the second Sev made the quiet suggestion, his attention snapped to him.

“What exactly did you have in mind?”

Harry found himself being dragged out of the marquee without another word said. He stumbled a little on the roots of trees that they passed, his desire and need of his mate increasing quickly as he felt a responding desire from Sev. Instead of going to The Burrow, as Harry had expected, Sev took him deeper into the orchard where the marquee had been set up. Harry stood back as Sev removed his outer robe and laid it down on the ground before him. He stepped willingly into his husband’s embrace as he was assaulted by wave after wave of lust down the bond.

“Harry,” Sev began as he pulled back, staring into Harry’s eyes. “I love you.”

“Prove it,” Harry whispered back with a grin as he lowered himself down onto the robe.


	55. Epilogue

15 YEARS LATER

“Hey, get off!”

Lincoln looked up at the sound of his eldest son’s humour-laden voice. Scorpius was standing by the Prefect’s carriage, attempting to duck out of the way as Lily rubbed her hand through his hair. Having grown up together, the two of them had gotten into the habit of treating each other like brother and sister, a fact that amused Lincoln no end. Despite the fact that they were the same age, Lily and Scorpius were in different years, because Scorpius had been born in December, four months too late to make the cut-off for Lily’s year. Lincoln could only imagine what it was like in the Slytherin dormitory when they started on each other: Lily had been chosen as Head Girl that year and she seemed to be lording it jokingly over her group of friends, despite the fact that Scorpius was a Prefect in his own right.

“No. I’m Head Girl this year, which means you have to stand there quietly while I get to play with your hair.” She grinned when Scorpius sagged against the train carriage, but did not move away.

Watching as Scorpius allowed Lily to run her hands through his hair, Lincoln felt a little suspicion developing in the back of his mind. It was pretty much guaranteed that Scorpius would have a Wood Elf Inheritance at the end of that year and Lily had yet to find her mate... He grinned and shook his head as Albus and Arthur – Severus and Harry’s twin sons – ran up and interrupted the two of them. There was no point in matchmaking in his mind, especially considering how long it had taken him to find Draco.

“Dad?”

He turned to see his two girls approaching him, matching grins on their faces. Carina and Lyra were two of their set of fourteen year old triplets, with their brother Altair rounding out the set. While it could not be guaranteed that they had been conceived on the night of Severus and Harry’s wedding, it was certainly not for lack of trying. They had been born about a month after Minerva, Severus and Harry’s youngest girl. While all three of them had inherited Lincoln’s dark blond hair, only the girls had his dark blue eyes. Altair had Draco’s grey, and all three of them were so similar to Lincoln personality-wise that it scared him a little. One difference between him and his girls, however, was that they chose to wear their hair in the natural curls that Lincoln had hated in his own hair his entire life. Altair chose to simply cut his off, but Carina and Lyra were just girly enough to want to keep them. Those ringlets were the reason he had always kept his own hair in dreadlocks, but the girls seemed to like them. The look of shock on Draco’s face when their hair had started to curl at a very young age had been worth it as well. It had apparently not occurred to him that Lincoln had a very good reason for wearing his hair the way he did and it had not occurred to Lincoln to warn him.

“What’s up, girls?”

“Can we go find the others?” Carina stared up at him with wide eyes.

“We won’t be long, we swear,” Lyra added with an innocent look of her own.

Lincoln smiled, knowing full well that he was being played. Both Lincoln and Draco had considered the triplets too young to be allowed to go off by themselves at the station the previous year, but he figured they were now old enough to know who to avoid.

“Go on then. Just make sure to be back in time to help with your trunks.”

They shot him grins and ran off to find their friends. Before Draco had explained the Sorting system to him properly, Lincoln had assumed that all of their children would be placed into Slytherin, just as Draco had been, so it had come as a complete shock to him when all three triplets were Sorted into Hufflepuff. Draco had not seemed so surprised, however: apparently he had been thinking that Lincoln himself would have been a Hufflepuff had he been Sorted by the Hat when he had been eleven.

“Can I go too, then?”

Altair was quieter than his sisters and much more focussed on Quidditch than any of his siblings. He had made friends with the other boys in his year easily, though, so Lincoln had never had to worry about him. Lincoln smiled and nodded, watching all three of them make their way over to their respective friends.

“You’re too soft with them, you know.”

Lincoln held his right arm up so Draco could tuck himself into his side, his arm sliding around Lincoln’s waist in his old supportive gesture. “I know. But that’s what I have you here for.”

“So I can play bad cop?” The Muggle phrase came easily to Draco these days, after years of Lincoln making him watch old Muggle TV shows, but it still sounded a little odd. “Tell me how that’s fair? They supposedly got all those Hufflepuff traits from you, after all.”

Instead of responding verbally, Lincoln drew Draco to him and moulded their lips together in a slow kiss. Standing off near the wall as they were, it was unlikely that they would be interrupted unless someone came looking for them, so Lincoln figured they were safe for the time being. Draco hummed happily before breaking the kiss much sooner than Lincoln would have liked.

“Dray...”

“We’re in public, Link.”

“That’s never stopped you before.”

“In front of not only our kids, but everyone else’s as well. Do you really want to deal with angry Howlers when we get back to Hogwarts?”

Lincoln had taken over the position of school Healer when Poppy Pomfrey had retired three years before, making life in general much easier on both he and Draco. They had worked apart for fourteen years of their marriage, having to put up with the strain on their bond due to the distance between Hogwarts and St. Mungo’s, so when Poppy had decided to retire, Lincoln had jumped at the chance to be nearer his mate.

“You’ve lost a lot of that exhibitionist streak you used to have. Shame.”

“Bite me,” Draco replied – another insult he had picked up from TV – before smirking and leaning in close to whisper in Lincoln’s ear. “Just not here.”

A warm rush of expectation flooded through Lincoln’s veins and he prevented Draco from stepping back from him for a few seconds. “Is that a promise?”

Draco merely grinned before turning to begin loading their children’s trunks onto the train.

*~*

“They’re all leaving, Sev.”

Harry watched as Al and Artie rushed off to interrupt Scorpius and Lily. The raised eyebrow he received in response had him smiling as Sev dragged him into a small alcove out of sight of the rest of the platform.

“You will literally be seeing them in seven or eight hours, Harry. You are one of their Professors and you can see them every single day if you wish.”

One grey-streaked clump of Sev’s hair had fallen out from behind his ear where he usually kept it tucked, so Harry reached to tuck it back before responding. “Go on, that’s it. Ruin my fun.”

Harry trailed the tip of his finger down the side of Sev’s face, grinning as he awaited his response. They had been together for eighteen years this year, and married for fifteen of them. He had literally spent half his life so far with his mate, something that had seemed an impossibility to him during the War. The fact that they now had four wonderful children together was simply astounding to him.

“I do not recall you complaining last night, Potter.”

Shock rushed through Harry at the muttered words. Sev rarely ever made remarks like that in public, especially when they ran the chance of being overheard by their kids. Minerva – or Mini as she much preferred – was at that particularly difficult age when she did not like to see her parents displaying affection to each other at all. Apparently it was ‘gross’ for them to have any kind of physical contact; not that that had ever stopped them before.

“You’d better watch it, or I’ll make you follow through on everything that smile’s promising,” Harry informed his grinning mate. He smirked just before he tangled his hand through the long strands of hair at the nape of Sev’s neck and pulled him into a chaste kiss. “Now stop trying to distract me.”

Turning back to where they had left the trunks was more of a self-preservation move than anything else. Harry would have quite gladly allowed the train to leave without the trunks so he could take Sev up on his offer, but he knew that he could not do that to the kids. Lily had already run off to disentangle Victoire Weasley from Teddy Lupin, stating that they had seen enough of each other over the summer. The two of them had bonded earlier that year when Victoire had turned 17 and had claimed her boyfriend as her mate. Teddy was to be staying at Harry and Sev’s Hogsmeade house that year since Victoire was still in school and they needed to keep the contact up. Hermione had given Teddy a job in one of her stationary stores in Hogsmeade to make it easier on the both of them, because Teddy usually helped out in one of Fred and George’s many stores, so it was not much of a stretch to change stores.

Their other three kids – Mini, Albus and Arthur – had all rushed off soon after Lily. Mini had run towards a group of Weasley children, her long hair steaming out behind her. Despite her claiming that anything involving romance and her parents was gross, she had turned out incredibly girly. She had declared the idea that she would most likely have a Veela Inheritance – and therefore a mate – ‘so romantic’, prompting a fair amount of eye rolling from Sev. Harry had avoided the issue when Mini had come out with the term ‘soul mate’ to describe her future mate, as Sev had spent years trying to convince him that the two were completely different. Harry saw no difference, though, and no harm in telling Mini Muggle children’s stories that involved soul mates. Having been Sorted into Gryffindor, Mini had lots of her Weasley cousins to keep her company, even if she was the only one out of their kids to be Sorted into Gryffindor.

Al and Artie were slightly more ambiguous to Harry, though. He had a feeling that they would follow Lily and Scorpius into Slytherin, but there had been surprise Sortings before. Link and Draco’s triplets had been Sorted into Hufflepuff, which had come as a complete shock to Link and provided Harry with many months of amusement every time he saw Lucius in public. His boys did seem like Slytherin material to him, though. The last he had seen of them had been when they had run off towards where Scorpius and Lily had been standing beside the Prefect’s carriage. A burst of laughter behind him jolted him out of his thoughts and he turned to see Sev standing with Hermione, both of them watching him with amused expressions.

“We have less than five minutes to get these trunks on the train and you two are standing around talking?”

He received a burning look from Sev that he was sure Hermione had not seen, sending desire through him and telling him exactly what they would be doing when they returned to the empty Potions Master’s quarters. He pushed those thoughts aside, however, when Sev bent to pick up the opposite end of the trunk he had been trying to move by himself. Moving all of their children’s trunks onto the train was a little more difficult with the boys both starting this year, but they managed it with about a minute to spare. Gathering their three youngest together so they could farewell them was a bit of a struggle, but they managed it. Mini squirmed and muttered something about him being embarrassing when Harry bent to place a kiss on her forehead, but she wrapped her arms around his middle in a tight hug before boarding the train anyway. Al and Artie seemed a little reluctant to leave, but rallied when Scorpius, Altair and a few of their friends entered their compartment. Harry ran beside the train for a little while, waving to the boys, before turning back to face his mate.

“They really are gone now, Sev. Lily’ll graduate next year and...” He tried to suppress the thread of sadness that ran through him, but knew he had failed.

“And she will do extremely well for herself. She is a strong, intelligent young woman who has unfortunately inherited your incredible stubbornness. It would not surprise me to discover she has the entire Auror Department terrified of her within the first month.” Harry moved closer so Sev would draw him into an embrace and smiled when he felt Sev inhaling his scent from his hair. “I love you.”

Harry’s smile turned to a grin when Sev pulled back to meet his eyes. Being near his husband had always had the effect of cheering Harry up and this time was no different.

“I love you, too, Sev.”

*~*

“Alright, has anyone forgotten anything?” Draco smiled when he was met by three sarcastic looks.

“We’re fourteen.”

“We’re not babies.”

“ _They’re_ babies, but I’m definitely not.”

He and Link had decided that four children was more than enough after being surprised by their triplets and Draco was sometimes, rather guiltily, happy about that decision. While Carina and Lyra got along really well, Altair seemed to feel a little left out sometimes, with Scorpius being three years older than him. It had been a struggle to raise all three of them together, but Draco loved them just as much as he had loved raising Scorpius. Of course, the fact that he got to raise them with Link made it all that much sweeter.

“Alright, alright,” he chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. “Come here and say goodbye, then.”

Both Carina and Lyra were very much like what Draco imagined Link had been like at that age and their response to his opening his arms so he could hug them only reinforced that idea. They ran into his arms and hugged him back just as hard before grinning and pulling back and doing the same to Link as he walked up behind Draco. Altair and Scorpius, however, were more reserved than the girls and held back until Draco moved over to them.

“You’re sure you have everything?”

“I’m sure,” Altair responded before shaking Draco’s hand. “I’ll be fine, I swear.”

Draco glanced over as Scorpius made an amused sound beside him. He turned to meet his eldest’s eyes and found him grinning after his younger brother.

“I’ve always watched out for them; on the train as well as in school.”

A warm sense of happiness flooded through Draco as it finally occurred to him that his boy had grown up. Scorpius was quite mature for his age and Draco had no doubt that what he said was true. He would come into his Inheritance at the end of that year and hopefully be able to discover his mate easily, something Draco hoped for all four of their kids.

“I know, Scorp,” he replied as he placed a hand on Scorpius’s shoulder. “What about you? You don’t need anything?”

“Nope,” Scorpius responded with a grin. “I’m good.”

He nodded to where Draco knew Link was standing just behind him before jogging off to enter the Prefect’s carriage after Lily. Scorpius’s use of Muggle slang more amused Draco than anything else, especially considering the way Draco himself would have reacted to it when he was young. He stepped back so he could wrap his left arm around Link’s waist as the train began to move out of the station and waved until it was out of sight.

“We did it.” Draco turned to face his mate when he heard the combination of pride and melancholy in Link’s voice. “Scorp has grown into a fully-functioning young adult and the triplets are well on their way to that as well. We did it.”

Draco slid his arms up and draped them over Link’s shoulders, pulling him close so he could rest their foreheads together. “We have raised four of the most beautiful, charming children I have ever met,” he informed his mate and received a shot of Link’s almost perpetual good humour down the bond in response as he grinned. “Scorp will, of course, be the next Minister for Magic, Altair will be an international Quidditch star and the girls will follow you and be Healers. What more could I have asked for?”

“Perhaps to not be quite so delusional?”

Draco joined in Link’s laughter, warmth spreading through him again, but this time of a completely different kind. “I love you, Elfling.”

“Love you, too, Dray.”

Images of just what they could do in the seven or so hours between then and when they absolutely had to be back at Hogwarts rushed through Draco’s mind, all of them involving their currently empty house back in the clan. He grinned at his husband as he felt his own rising desire echoed down their bond.

“Take me home, then.”

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it for the entire series. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me through all of this. You've all made it worth the stress and scars. (Quite literally: I have a scar on my leg from when I was distracted at work by one of the early chapters of this fic!) Special thanks go out to twilightreaderaddcit for giving me the idea for the second fic and for sticking with me through it. Kami_no_Namida as well: you two have been commenting on here longer than anyone and have kept me going when I wanted to stop, so thank you :D
> 
> I hope to see some of you around here on later fics! :D


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